Types of Glass

Glass can generally be divided into industrial-use and daily-use products.

An important part of industrial glass products are basic products such as ampoule glass tubes, light bulbs, electron tube valves, optical glass bases and glass illumination lenses. These basic products are use as the base or intermediate product for further processing or assembly into the final product and require different manufacturing methods depending on the use. Other industrial glass products include those for use in physics, chemistry and medicine; and containers for beverages, foods, cosmetics, and medicines.

Daily-use glass products include those for the kitchen and dining table such as dishes, glasses, stemware and pots for houseplants as well as vases and ashtrays, all of which are used mainly in the home.

Types and Ingredients

Glass manufacturing is done either by machine particularly for such mass-produced products as vases or manually for high-class products such as artistic pieces and drinking glasses. The properties of the four main types of glass are provided below, followed by the ingredients commonly found in glass.
General soda glass – has a somewhat low level of transparency, is hard but brittle, and makes a dull sound when tapped
Crystal (lead) glass – has a high level of transparency, is soft and melts readily, is heavy, and makes a clear sound when tapped
Potash glass – has a high level of transparency, is somewhat hard, and is chemical-resistant
Borosilicate glass – is heat-resistant and used for applications such as linings for insulated hot beverage containers
The reason for the many different types of glass is because the materials used to make the glass differ depending on the application.

The main ingredients used in glass may include silicic acid, soda ash, limestone, potassium carbonate, lead oxide and boric acid. To this, coloring agents may be added, lead is added for crystal, and the surface may be cut to create a pattern or treated such as by sandblasting.