Product

Laminated glass is two or more panes of glass with one or more layers of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ionomers sandwiched between them and treated. This sandwich has some unique advantages. The outer glass surfaces are hard and transparent but are strongly bonded to a transparent rubber like material on the inner surfaces of the sandwich. The glass panes can be basic float glass or tempered or heat strengthened panels. If the glass is broken, fragments remain strongly adhered to the PVB interlayer thereby nearly eliminating the risk of injury from glass and helping to resist further impact or weather damage as it does not generally fall out of the fixing.

The most common use of laminated glass is for the front windscreens of all cars. It is now finding more usage in architectural applications because of its distinct characteristics.

Characteristics of Laminated Glass :

Safety : Laminated glass doesn’t shatter like ordinary glass. It absorbs impact, resists penetration, and remains intact even if broken, holding glass fragments in place and lowering the risk of injury. Global building standards increasingly specify stricter safety requirements, especially for overhead glazing where any breakage could mean a major hazard from falling glass.

Security : The rise in urban crime and terrorism also points to laminated glass as increasingly desirable as a material of construction. Laminated glass resists intrusion because the interlayer continues to safeguard the building even after the glass itself is broken. Security glass cannot be cut from only one side, so ordinary glass-cutters are useless as break-in tools.

Laminated glass tends to resist impact. In multiple configurations, it can even resist bullets, heavy objects, or small explosions. In most cases, it takes many blows, all in the same spot, to penetrate the glass.

Sound Reduction : Laminated glass is an excellent barrier to noise. The sheer damping performance of the plastic interlayer makes laminated glass an effective sound control product. This makes it ideal for airports, hotels, data-processing centers, recording studios, and any building near airports, highways, or train lines.

UV Control : Ultraviolet light is the leading cause of deterioration and fading of furnishings, pictures, and fabrics. Laminated glass screens out 99% of the sun’s damaging rays, protecting interior furnishing,displays or merchandise from fading effects of UV radiation.

Earthquakes & Natural Disaster Protection: Earthquakes often produce a fallout of extremely dangerous shards of broken glass. But laminated glass remains in the frame, maintaining a protective envelope around the home or building to keep the weather out and deter glass shards from flying. Similarly, the heavy winds of tornados and hurricanes easily shatter conventional glass, causing injuries from flying fragments and damage to interiors exposed to the devastating weather outside.

Durability: Laminated glass retains its colour and strength for the life of the building, yet is as easily cleaned as any conventional glass.

Fire Retardacy : While standard laminated glass does not meet code requirements for fire-resistant glass, it will not disintegrate readily when exposed to heat, so it confines the fire longer, giving more time for evacuation and control of the fire. It is important though that in case of complete glazing with laminated glass, some panels for fire escape should be glazed with tempered glass with a prominent sign “Break in case of fire”.