What is glass composition made of. How to make glass? Glass production technology. Glass products. How art glass products are made

We will finally answer the question that haunts many: “How is transparent glass made from opaque sand?”.
Let's start with the fact that some time ago glass did not exist in principle, and people lived in caves. And with the advent of this fragile and transparent material, life has changed radically. Think for yourself how many glass things surround us today: shop windows, telescopes, computer screens, glasses, various containers, even people have learned to build houses from glass.

Imagine how much glass man makes and how much sand he uses. As for any production, first the raw material - sand - enters the plant. And this sand, not any, but special - quartz. Compared to marine, quartz is much smaller and whiter.

The first stage of production is the oven. Up to 170 tons of sand are placed in this furnace at a time, and the temperature is brought up to 1500 degrees. The formula of glass is not only sand (although it is the majority), but also some substances that enhance its strength. Note - strength, but not transparency. Here are the names of some of the components: sulfate, field twine, soda, saltpeter, dolomite. Soda, for example, is needed only to make the sand melt faster.

Already in the furnace, all this mixture turns into glass. It's just that it's still liquid. Further, until the glass has cooled down and frozen, it is poured into molds (for example, for making bottles). A special automated machine cuts the plastic glass poured from the furnace into equal pieces and sends these pieces to the molding machine. Since machines are engaged in the main functions of production, it quickly acquires desired shape, not having time to harden before.

It turns out that the secret is in the oven itself? Does high temperature make an opaque thing transparent? Not!

You will be surprised, but the sand was actually transparent even before arriving at the factory. To verify this, we need a microscope.

What is sand made of? That's right, from grains of sand. That's what you need to look at under a microscope. In fact, every grain of quartz sand is transparent! “Why, then, having collected sand in the palm of your hand, does it not shine through like water?”

This is where the laws of physics come into play. The fact is that grains of sand are separate elements with several faces. It is these very faces that refract the ray of light falling on them. This creates a sense of "opacity".

For even better understanding, let's do an experiment. Take a transparent bottle and break it with a hammer. The fragments are additionally crushed in a mortar. Now we pour them on the table, and what do we see? And we see an opaque pile of glass.

In the oven, everything happens with precision, but vice versa than in our experiment. The furnace unites the "split" grains of sand into one whole. Here the geometric parameters of each individual grain of sand are no longer important, since they will all melt and merge into one. You will get one large grain of sand, which will easily transmit light, i.e. Glass is made to order.

As soon as people learned how to make transparent glass and apply it in life, there was a need for opaque glass. Special powders have been invented that can not only darken a transparent material, but also give it the desired color. This is how glass is created to order in a seemingly simple way.

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What is currently impossible to do with your own hands? Whether it's an ordinary craft, a wardrobe item, furniture and more. How to make glass at home? - It would seem that glass is melting, it is unrealistic. AT modern world nothing is impossible. The main thing in this business is desire. And in this article you will find detailed step by step algorithm such an entertaining and interesting activity as glass making.

What is known about glassmaking?

It is known from history that glassmaking is a very ancient process. How it's done? According to the time frame, it refers approximately to the period before 2500 BC. Previously, such a rare and valuable occupation in our time has been replaced by the widespread production of this material.

Glass products are found everywhere. They are used as containers, household and decorative elements, insulators, reinforcing fiber and other things. Glasses differ only in the constituent material that is used for manufacturing. But the process itself is almost the same.

The main materials you will need:

the main element is quartz sand (silicon dioxide);
sodium carbonate or soda;
calcium oxide, she is lime;
furnace for melting glass;
other salts and oxides that can be used additionally on an individual basis (oxides of aluminum, iron, magnesium, lead and calcium or sodium salts);
protective clothing;
grill;
charcoal;
forms and other elements for shaping;
refractory crucible.

Methods for making glass using a furnace

The first way to solder glass at home is to use an oven.

Acquisition of quartz sand:

This material is the basis for the production of glass. Glass, in which there are no impurities of iron, has its advantages - it is light. What can not be said about the glass in which it is present. It will give off greenery.
It is important to wear a mask before starting work. Quartz sand is fine-grained and easily enters the nasal cavity and further into the lungs. This, in turn, will irritate the throat.
You can easily buy quartz sand in a specialized online store. Its cost is low.

Important! The cost of the approximate amount that will be needed will be around $ 20. e. In the future, you can buy it up to a ton, the approximate cost of which will be 100 c.u. e. This is if you plan to work on an industrial scale.

It happens that finding high-quality sand is not so easy, and it contains more than the amount of impurities. Dont be upset. In this case, manganese dioxide will come to the rescue. It should be added in small amounts. If in your idea it is glass with a greenish tint, then absolutely nothing needs to be done. Leave everything as it is.

Addition of carbonate and calcium oxide:

The carbonate in this case lowers the production temperature of industrial glasses. At the same time, it causes glass corrosion with the participation of water. To avoid this, it is necessary to additionally introduce lime or calcium oxide into the glass.
Magnesium or aluminum oxides are used for glass durability. As a rule, these inclusions occupy a small percentage in the glass composition. The figure is approximately 26-30 percent.

Addition of other chemical elements:

This method of making decorative glass at home requires the use of lead oxide. It gives shine to crystal, its low hardness, makes it accessible to cutting, and gives a low temperature of melt formation.
Lanthanum oxide can be found in eyeglass lenses. It has a refractive property.
With regards to lead crystal, it can contain up to 33 percent lead oxide.

Important! The more lead, the more dexterity is needed to shape the molten glass. Based on this, many glassblowers prefer a smaller amount of it.

Iron impurities in quartz glass give it a green tint. In this case, iron oxide is added to increase the greenish tint. This also applies to copper oxide.
Yellow, amber, and even black can be obtained with a sulfur compound. It all depends on the amount of carbon or iron added to the glass charge.

The main stages of glass production:

Place the mixture in a temperature-resistant crucible. The latter should be as resistant as possible to the temperature that will be in the oven. It can vary from 1500 to 2500 degrees. It depends on the additives.

Important! There is one more important requirement for the crucible - it must be such that it can be easily fixed with the help of metal tongs.

Melt the mixture to a liquid consistency. For industrial silicate glass, this can be done in a gas-fired furnace.

Important! There are also electric, muffle and pot furnaces. They can be made with special glass. Please note that quartz and sand, which do not contain additional impurities, go into a glassy state when the temperature in the furnace is 2500 degrees Celsius. If sodium carbonate is added to the contents, this is ordinary soda, then the temperature will drop to 1500 degrees.

Carefully monitor the consistency of the glass. It is important to remove all bubbles from it in a timely manner. This can be achieved with regular stirring to a uniform density. It is also necessary to add one of the elements - sodium chloride, sodium sulfate or antimony oxide.
Shape the glass. To do this, use one of the following methods.
The simplest thing is to pour the melted glass into a mold and wait until it cools down. With this method, many optical lenses are created. Previously, this method was used by the Egyptians.
Place the finished molten glass in a bath containing molten tin. The latter acts as a substrate. Next, you need to blow it with compressed nitrogen for shaping or polishing. Another way is to collect the required amount of glass at the end of a hollow pipe and, turning the pipe, blow it out.

Important! Glass made using this method is called float glass. It has been produced since the early 1950s.

Leave the glass to cool down. It is important to place it in a place where it will not be damaged, water, dust or, for example, leaves will not spoil it. Keep in mind that when in contact with cold objects, it will crack.
The final step of this method to make glass at home will be glass annealing. This method of heat treatment will give strength to the material. When using it, all point sources of stress that can be encountered during the glass cooling process will be removed.

Important! Upon completion of this work, additional coatings can be applied to the glass to increase durability and strength. Also can be laminated.

Unannealed glass is less durable.
As for the temperature for finishing work, it depends on the exact composition of the glass - from 400 to 550 degrees Celsius.
The cooling rate of the glass depends on the size. Large glass items must be cooled slowly. Smaller things go faster.

Method for making glass using a brazier

The second way to make glass at home is a charcoal roaster. Let's take a look at everything step by step in this case.

Equipment for work

First you need to make an oven. A barbecue grill is perfect for this. It is important that it is heated with charcoal. In this case, in order to melt quartz sand into glass, the heat that coal generates when burned is used. Again, the cost of this material is not too high. They are widely available.

Important! Grill use standard size. Better if it is in the form of a dome. The main qualities that he should have are the presence of thick walls and good strength. If the grill has a ventilation hole, usually located at the bottom, it must be opened.

However, there may be small obstacles in this method. Even if there are very high temperatures, it is not always possible to melt it with ease. To do this, before starting the process, you need to add lime, borax or washing soda to the sand. The amount of additives should not exceed ⅓-¼ of the volume of sand.

Important! Remember that these additives significantly lower the melting point of the sand.

Glass Formatting

For blowing glass, prepare a long hollow metal tube. In order to pour glass, a mold is needed. It should be dense and should not melt from hot glass. Use, for example, graphite.

Important! When using this method, remember that the grill heats up much higher than normal. It is possible that the grill itself may melt. Therefore, in the manufacture of glass in this way, you need to carefully and responsibly perform all actions. Negligence can result in serious injury or even death.

Security measures:

Place a large amount of sand and a fire extinguisher near the work area.
All work must be done outdoors.
The floor must be concrete, for example.
Stay away from the grill when cooking glass to protect yourself and your clothes from high temperatures.
Remember to wear protective clothing. These are fire-resistant clothing, oven gloves, a high-strength apron over clothing, and a mandatory welding mask.
Also in this method you will need a vacuum cleaner. It will act as a coal blower. We arrange it as follows: we attribute the body to a sufficient distance. We fix the hose to the ventilation hole, which is located below. It may need to be bent to give the desired shape. You can fix it to one of the legs of the grill. The hose must be fixed firmly and not move.

Important! If the opposite happened, then in no case do not approach him, because he is very hot. Next, you need to turn off the vacuum cleaner and look at the position of the hose. It must be aimed exactly at the vent hole.

Operating procedure:

Place on the inside of the grill charcoal. It is necessary to put it in two or even three times more than for roasting meat. Well, if it is filled almost to the brim.

Important! Use hardwood charcoal. It burns faster and better than briquetted.

In the middle of the bowl, place a cast-iron container or a crucible with sand.
Carefully study the packaging of the coal used. Fire it up in the right way. There is coal that ignites directly by itself, and there is material for which ignition fluid is used. Wait for the flame to spread evenly.
Wait until the coal is ready for further work. The readiness of coals can be determined by color. They will be orange.
The next step is to turn on the vacuum cleaner. This is necessary so that the coal is blown.

Important! Coal exposed to air flow can be heated to very high temperatures. Up to about 1100 degrees Celsius. This must be taken into account when near the stove. Ascending flashes may appear from it.

If the temperature has not reached the desired figure, then you need to check the location of the hose in the vent.
Everything needed to melt the sand has already been done. The final step is to remove the glass container from the grill. Here, too, you need to be very careful. Use a long metal tool.
Next, do all your ideas with glass.

Important! Keep in mind that glass made using this method will be thicker. It will be a little more difficult to work with him. It's all because low temperatures during its manufacture.

Finally, we offer you a few more tips for making glass at home:

Instead of special quartz sand, beach sand can be used. It should be the whitest, uniform and thin. However, the quality of such glass will not always be needed.

We have given two ways to craft glass yourself. The same method is suitable for making sea glass at home. When doing work, be extremely careful so that it does not turn into disastrous consequences for health.

Glass is the most ancient object that has been found by man and is still used today. Found because a person did not come up with it himself and made it for the first time. Most likely, the first glass appeared many thousands of years ago from volcanic lava. Now this substance is commonly called obsidian. How is glass made? Let's go back to the days when it didn't exist. Gradually, people got to know the surrounding nature and noticed that when natural soda is mixed with sand and then heated, a transparent substance appears. That is how they became aware of this the new kind material. This process was described by Pliny, the ancient Greek encyclopedist. It was from that moment that the history of the use of glass began, which has become absolutely indispensable in our life today. After all, now it is used everywhere.

However, there is another theory about how glass is made, more precisely, how it was produced before. Some scientists have decided that the glassy material was identified as a by-product of copper smelting or roasting. In human life, this product has played a truly outstanding role. It is difficult to overestimate its importance. The production of sheet glass is comparable to such discoveries as the production of fire and the invention of the wheel. In the days of Ancient Egypt, it was customary to make all kinds of jewelry from it. Later, they learned to produce containers for liquids from it. From the thirteenth century there was a dramatic increase in the amount of glass produced. Venice became the center of its production. The craftsmen became aware of the technology for creating oriental glass, after which they began to develop and improve it. The transparency of glass was made possible by the addition of various impurities to it. Masters began to make various dishes from it, which were very thin and elegant. In those days, glass products served more as luxury items and decorations.

If the question of how glass is made is still interesting to you, then you can talk about how it found more and more new areas of application. The technology of its production has been improved. A mirror was invented, this was done by applying an amalgam to one side. Glass was also used in construction. Usually it was used in the construction of palaces and temples. And after the craftsmen learned how to make it colored, they began to decorate windows with it, making beautiful stained-glass windows. And now glass is widely used for fusing. And in science, over time, they began to use glass. Thanks to the discovery of its ability to concentrate and scatter light, a variety of lenses were created, telescopes and microscopes were made. These discoveries have become a giant step in the development of natural sciences - medicine, biology, astronomy, physics and others. No activity is possible in any scientific direction without glasses.

How is glass made? Like once before, from the sand. At its core, sand contains quartz crystals presented here. When heated, it melts. If you cool it quickly, then the minerals will not have time to crystallize, becoming transparent. To give the product any color, oxides of various metals are added to it. To give the glass maximum transparency, the sand is cleaned so that it contains almost one quartz.

On the this moment There are many ways to obtain a product with different properties: reinforced, hardened, mirrored, armored. Even now, simple sand, which is being processed, serves as the basis. It is important to say that there is still enough sand on the planet, so glass will not soon go out of our everyday life.

Glassware, windows in houses and much more - for us today these are familiar furnishings. However, many centuries ago, glass goblets were fabulously expensive, and they could only be found on the tables of the richest and noblest nobles.

What is glass made of, and how did people learn to make it?

History of the invention of glass

Glass has been known for at least two thousand years. The ancient Roman historian Pliny described the incident as a result of which it was invented. According to his version, once sailors carrying soda on their ship landed to spend the night on a shore covered with pure golden sand.

They lit a fire to cook dinner and keep warm. By chance, one sack of their cargo burst open and spilled the soda into the fire. At night it began to rain, washed away the ashes and firebrands, and the sailors saw a shining glass surface in place of the fire.

Glass making components

Is this how glass was actually invented, or, as another version says, it turned out in the course of experiments with firing clay pots- but people have mastered the secret of its preparation for a long time.

In order to make glass, three main components are required.

Quartz sand- This is pure river sand, consisting of silicon oxide. The proportion of sand in the mixture for melting glass is about 75%. It melts at a very high temperature: it must be heated to 1700 degrees Celsius. The transparency and quality of future glass products largely depend on the quality of the sand. Venetian glassblowers, who made the most famous in medieval Europe Murano glass, sand was specially brought from the province of Istria, and for Bohemian glass, craftsmen crushed pieces of quartz into fine sand.

Soda (or potash) needed to melt the sand at a lower temperature. By adding soda to the sand in the right proportion, the heating temperature of the glass mixture is reduced by almost half.

During heating, soda decomposes to sodium or potassium oxide, which serves as a melting catalyst. In ancient times, it was obtained by leaching ash after burning algae or coniferous trees. The proportion of soda in the mixture for glass is about 16-17%.

Lime, or calcium oxide, makes glass insoluble by most chemicals, strong and shiny. For the first time, Bohemian glassblowers began to add it to glass in the seventeenth century, using limestone or chalk for this.

In addition, today sodium sulfate, talamite and nepheline syenite are added to the mass for making glass. To obtain multi-colored glass, oxides of various metals are used as additives: copper, iron, silver, etc.

Stages of sheet glass production

All the ingredients from which glass is made are loaded into a furnace and heated until a liquid homogeneous mass is formed.

The molten mass is loaded into a homogenizer and mixed until completely homogeneous.

The glass mass is poured into a long container containing molten tin. On its surface, the glass is poured in an even layer of the same thickness, gradually cooling down.

The frozen glass tape enters the conveyor, where the thickness control and cutting into standard pieces of glass is carried out. Cropped jagged edges and rejects that have not passed quality control are sent for remelting.

Finished sheet glass passes the final quality check and is sent to the warehouse finished products.

Similarly, glass is made for the production of dishes, measuring instruments, Christmas decorations and other products. The composition of the glass may vary depending on the properties it is intended to have.

In addition, to increase strength, it can be subjected to a hardening procedure, acquiring the ability to withstand strong impacts on the surface.

Popular today are duplex and triplex glass, glued with special compositions of two or three layers of thin glass. However, the basis of each of them is golden quartz sand, baking soda and ordinary lime.

A person daily encounters glass products. Glass is almost a magical object - on the one hand it is transparent, on the other a material object. A substance will be transparent when photons (quanta of light) pass through it without being absorbed. But for some reason, not everyone comes up with the idea - how and from what is glass made? How is the process going?

Interesting Facts:

It takes millions of years for glass to decompose.
Glass is recycled without loss of quality.
The thickest glass in the world is the 26 cm screen of the Sydney Aquarium.

What is glass made from?

To make glass, craftsmen take: quartz sand (the main component); lime; soda;

First, quartz sand, soda and lime are heated in a special furnace to a temperature of 1700 degrees above zero. The grains of sand are interconnected, after they are homogenized (turns into a homogeneous substance), the gas is removed. The mass is "dipped" into molten tin with a temperature above 1000 degrees, which floats on the surface due to its lower density. The smaller the mass that enters the tin bath, the thinner the glass will be at the exit.

The final touch is gradual cooling. The substance is placed in a special conveyor, where it is cooled to a temperature of 250 degrees above zero. Why transparent glass can be read.

Interesting Facts:

The most expensive glass in the world is Murano glass. Products from it cost millions of dollars. Since ancient times, Venice has been famous for the production of high-quality glass. It is authentically known that in the 13th century the government of the state transferred production to the large island of Murano, and the craftsmen were strictly forbidden to leave it. Punishment is a death sentence. In addition, for tourists or other residents of Venice, the entrance to the island was also closed. Such strict measures made it possible to keep the secret of production.
One of the most interesting mental illness The Middle Ages is the "glass disease". A person with such a disorder thought that he was made of glass, and was afraid to break. The French king Charles VI suffered from such an ailment. The monarch always wore several layers of clothing and forbade anyone to touch himself.

What functions do soda and lime perform in the production process?

Soda helps to reduce the melting point by 2 times. If it is not added, the sand will be very difficult to melt, and, accordingly, to connect individual grains of sand to each other. Lime is needed so that the mass endures water. If it were not in the composition, the window, for example, would dissolve immediately after the first rain, and the glass would burst after contact with water.

Interesting Facts:

China did not produce glass for over 500 years, from the 14th to the 19th century. Now the state is one of the leaders in production, and controls a third of the world glass market.
1994 was a very busy year for glass recycling in the US. If you put all the glass products processed during that year in one line, you get a kind of “road” to the moon.

How is colored glass made?

Glass is produced not only colorless. To obtain a colored product, in addition to the main components, chemical compounds are added to the melting furnace:

Iron oxides give the glass a rich red tint.
Nickel oxides - brown, violet (depending on the amount).
To get a bright yellow tint, add uranium oxides to sand, soda and lime.
Chrome makes glass green.

What are the characteristics and properties of glass?

The proportions of components for the manufacture of glass goods are selected depending on their purpose. Allocate: household glass - something from which they make dishes, glasses, jewelry; building - showcases, windows, stained-glass windows;

Technical glass is the most dense. Used in heavy industry. The main property of glass is the “ability” to pass sunlight through itself. But not completely. Yes, standard window glass Only 85% of sunlight passes through. Glass has a low thermal conductivity, in other words - it does not heat up too much from other products. This property is widely used for the use of glass in fireplaces ( household appliances- stoves and ovens).

Interesting fact: Everyone has heard of armored (bulletproof) glass. The process of its production looks like this: several glass layers are interconnected, fixed with polymer films and sent to the oven. The first bulletproof glass was installed on the windows of the White House in 1941.

Glass is an amazing material. The process of its creation is complex and traumatic, but interesting and very necessary.