Fabrication of explosion proof glass

US scientists have created a thin glass that is lighter than traditional glass and does not break in small explosions.

Pressure goggles are often installed in the windows of US government buildings and buildings vulnerable to terrorist attacks. However, they are quite thick and the cost of production is also large.

'The type of glasses we are developing is less than 12 mm thick. Because the glass is thinner, it uses less material and is cheaper than the glasses we are using , "said Sanjeev Khanna, a professor of engineering and aerospace engineering at the University of Missouri. , announced to Livescience .

A test illustration of a small explosion-proof glass. (Photo: enginering.missouri.edu)

Current pressure goggles are made of a rigid, transparent plastic between two slides. The new glass is better able to withstand and thinner by the design team replacing the plastic with a layer of transparent composite material. This composite material is made up of glass fibers embedded in plastic. Fiberglass is about half the size of human hair (about 25 microns). As a result, new glasses have fewer defects (the less defects the glasses are, the less likely they are to break).

In tests, the windows were made from new glasses that cracked only after people threw grenades near them.

"The use of transparent composite materials allows the team to increase or decrease the strength of the glass by changing the amount and direction of glass fibers ," Khanna said.

The design team intends to conduct similar experiments on large panes of standard windows. They also want to try to see how the glasses will be affected by the explosion.

' Explosion-proof glass can bring many applications if it is resistant to small explosions. It can also protect people's windows during major storms, terrorist attacks or earthquakes. Much of the damage associated with storms occurs due to broken windows by wind or garbage. When the windows are windy and rain will fall into the house and buildings. The situation will become more frightening when hit by terrorist attacks or by shooting in the streets , "Khanna said.