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Network Former

Definition

Oxide (SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3) that forms the tetrahedral backbone of a glass network by sharing bridging oxygen atoms between units.

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...
Glass-Transition Temperature (Tg)
The temperature below which a glass behaves as a rigid solid rather than a viscous liquid; a fundamental thermal property that varies...
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 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...

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