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Glass-Transition Temperature (Tg)

Definition

The temperature below which a glass behaves as a rigid solid rather than a viscous liquid; a fundamental thermal property that varies with composition and determines thermal stability in fire or accident conditions.

Related terms

ASTM E2927
Standard test method for the determination of trace elements in glass samples using LA-ICP-MS; specifies the element suite, calibration standards (NIST SRM...
ENFSI ENG3-2013
The ENFSI Glass Expert Working Group guideline for glass comparison casework; specifies the examination sequence, within-source variation requirements, statistical comparison framework, and...
Float Process
The Pilkington 1959 manufacturing method in which molten glass is poured onto a bath of molten tin, producing a ribbon with two...
LA-ICP-MS
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; a technique that fires a laser pulse at a sample surface, vaporises a tiny amount,...
Network Former
Oxide (SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3) that forms the tetrahedral backbone of a glass network by sharing bridging oxygen atoms between units.
Network Modifier
Metal oxide (Na2O, CaO, K2O, PbO, MgO) that introduces cations into the glass network, breaks Si-O-Si bridging bonds, and lowers the melt...
PVB Interlayer
Polyvinyl butyral film bonding the two glass layers in a laminated automotive windshield; retains broken glass in place after fracture, preserving the...
Refractive Index (RI)
A physical property of glass measuring how much light bends as it passes through. RI is the primary discriminating characteristic used in...
Tempered Glass
Glass heat-treated to introduce compressive surface stresses and tensile core stresses, producing a material four to five times stronger than annealed glass...
Tin-Side Fluorescence
UV fluorescence (blue-white at 254 nm) of the bottom surface of float glass caused by tin oxide diffused into the glass surface...
Within-Source Variation
The natural variation observed among multiple samples collected from a single source location. Used to estimate the probability of the observed difference...

Explained in

  • Glass: Types, Properties and ManufactureThe temperature below which a glass behaves as a rigid solid rather than a viscous liquid; a fundamental thermal property that varies with composition and dete...

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