Borosilicate Glass: Advantages & Applications
1. What is Borosilicate Glass?
Borosilicate glass, also known as high-borosilicate glass, gets its name from its higher content of boron trioxide (B₂O₃) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) compared to ordinary glass. It is a special type of glass featuring low thermal expansion coefficient, high temperature resistance, high strength, high hardness, high light transmittance, and excellent chemical stability, making it widely applicable in fields such as fire protection, chemical engineering, and aerospace.
With an extremely low linear expansion coefficient—approximately one-third that of ordinary glass—single-pane borosilicate fire-resistant glass is not prone to expansion and fragmentation during fires, thus being a type of high-stability single-pane fire-resistant glass.
2. Performance Advantages and Applications of Borosilicate Glass
2.1 Main Advantages of Borosilicate Glass
Heat Resistance: Softening point > 820℃ (aluminum and silicon content > 80%);
Heat Shock Resistance: Low thermal expansion coefficient, up to 4.0×10⁻⁶/K;
Light Weight: Density 2.2–2.3 g/cm³;
High Hardness: Mohs hardness 6;
High Chemical Stability: Low-alkali glass;
High Purity of Glass Composition: Sulfur-free (using industrial-grade pure raw materials and melting process);
NiS Crystallization-Free: Non-self-exploding single-pane fire-resistant glass;
Excellent Fire Integrity: Fire resistance duration exceeding 3 hours;
Ultra-High Light Transmittance: Low-iron formula ensures true color reproduction;
Good Corrosion Resistance: Stable UV resistance and weather resistance.
2.2 How Does Borosilicate Glass Achieve Fire Resistance?
Single-pane borosilicate fire-resistant glass is a type of raw glass sheet produced by the float process using high-borosilicate-containing materials, and is further manufactured via tempering treatment.The fire-resistance of borosilicate glass mainly relies on its low thermal expansion coefficient，approximately one-third that of ordinary glass (silicate glass). In addition, single-pane borosilicate fire-resistant glass also boasts a high softening point, excellent heat shock resistance, and good viscosity, among other properties. Therefore, it is not prone to expansion or fragmentation during a fire, making it a high-stability single-pane fire-resistant glass.
2.3 Borosilicate Glass vs. Soda-Lime Glass: Key Performance Parameters
Key Parameters Comparison: Borosilicate Glass vs. Soda-Lime-Silica Glass (Table 1)
Visible Light Transmittance Comparison: Borosilicate Glass, Float Glass & Ultra-Clear Glass (Table 2)
2.4 Applications of Borosilicate Glass
In terms of applications, Borosilicate 3.3 is mainly used for industrial glass, such as household appliances and microwave ovens. Borosilicate 4.0, on the other hand, is mostly applied in architectural glass—for instance, it can be processed via tempering into fire-resistant glass and then used for fire doors, fire windows, fire-resistant windows, fire partitions, fire-resistant floors, skylights, and other components.
