Sandwich safety glass is glass that is made from two outer layers of glass and one inner layer of a binding material such as plastic. The binding material is used to control the brittleness of glass, which causes glass to shatter into tiny pieces. There is less danger of injury from broken sandwich safety glass than from broken traditional glass, because the inner layer binds the pieces of glass together. If traditional glass is broken, the sheet of glass will shatter into hundreds of pieces that will fly into different directions.
Binding Material
The binding material is polyvinyl butyral (PVB), which melts and binds the two outer layers of glass. PVB is tough, strong, pliable and will not shatter. Glass is brittle, not malleable and will shatter. The PVB holds the pieces of shattered glass together, because PVB is pliable and flexible. A hard projectile will break a sheet of glass, but will simply bounce off of a sheet of PVB without doing any damage, according to Whistler Glass.
Translucent
Heat and pressure are used to bind the three layers of sandwich safety glass together. Safety glass is translucent, which permits car drivers to see the roadways. The drivers have fewer injuries from accidents, because windshields do not shatter into tiny pieces that will cut their faces. Business buildings also have safety glass, because harsh winds would break traditional glass.
Applications
The characteristics of tempered glass help to avoid injuries while also offering a translucent material. Sandwich safety glass is used for applications that require strong materials and that also require a translucent material such as for operators who are inside cars or boats, according to Sandwich Glass and Mirror.
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