Under the same thickness, tempered glass has greater strength.
|
Character |
Tempered glass |
Laminated glass |
|
Shock strength |
higher |
lower |
|
bending strength |
higher |
lower |
|
Safety features |
It breaks into small particles after being crushed |
After being broken, it adheres to the film and does not fall off |
|
Anti-penetration ability |
Once cracked, it is easy to be penetrated |
Even if it breaks, it is difficult to be penetrated immediately |
|
Application scenarios |
Doors and Windows, furniture, shower rooms, vehicle side Windows |
Car front windshields, sunroofs, bank counters, curtain walls |
Detailed explanation
1. Tempered glass
Manufacturing process: Ordinary glass is heated to a temperature close to its softening point and then subjected to rapid and uniform cooling treatment. This causes a strong compressive stress to form on the surface of the glass and tensile stress to form inside.
Strength performance
Impact and bending strength: This process significantly enhances the mechanical strength of the glass. Tempered glass of the same thickness has an impact resistance and bending strength 3 to 5 times that of ordinary glass.
Weakness: Its strength stems from the overall stress balance. Once this balance is disrupted (for instance, when the corners are hit hard), the entire glass will instantly disintegrate, shattering into countless tiny particles with not sharp edges. This prevents large sharp-edged fragments from causing serious injuries, so it is also called "safety glass".
Manufacturing process: Composed of two or more layers of glass, with one or more layers of tough PVB (polyvinyl alcohol butyraldehyde) resin film in between, it undergoes high-temperature and high-pressure treatment to firmly bond the glass and the film together.
Strength performance
Overall strength: Although its own impact resistance and bending strength are higher than those of ordinary glass, they are usually lower than those of tempered glass of the same thickness.
The real advantages lie in "anti-penetration" and "integrity" : The core advantage of laminated glass is not "not broken", but "not falling apart even if broken". When subjected to a huge impact, the glass will break, but the fragments will firmly stick to the film in the middle and will not fall off or scatter, effectively preventing people from being scratched by the fragments or falling out of the hole.
Continuous protection capability: Even if the glass has shattered, this layer of film can still provide a certain barrier to resist further impacts (such as window-smashing theft) or prevent objects from penetrating.
Scenario-based comparison
Strike with a fist or a stone:
Tempered glass requires greater force to shatter, but once it breaks, the entire glass will collapse, creating a passable opening.
Laminated glass may be relatively more prone to cracking, but it will form a "spider web" -like crack area, which remains connected as a whole. It is very difficult for your fist or stone to penetrate through, and it also cannot form a passable opening.
Automotive applications
The front windshield is made of laminated glass. Because in the event of an accident, you hope that even if it breaks, it remains intact to prevent passengers from being thrown out of the vehicle, and that the fragments do not fly and hurt the eyes and face.
Side Windows and rear Windows usually use tempered glass. Because in case of emergency escape or rescue, it can be easily smashed, and even when broken into small particles, it is less likely to cause serious cuts.
The ultimate combination: laminated tempered glass
In many modern applications with high safety requirements (such as high-rise building curtain walls and explosion-proof glass), the two technologies are combined to produce "laminated tempered glass". That is, two pieces of glass that have both undergone tempering treatment are bonded together with a film. This type of glass not only possesses the high strength of tempered glass but also the safety feature of laminated glass that does not fall when broken, making it the most comprehensive choice in terms of performance.
Summary
If only the ability to "not be broken" (i.e., impact resistance and bending strength) is compared, tempered glass of the same thickness is stronger.
However, when comparing the safety and protective capabilities after "breaking" (that is, the resistance to penetration and integrity), laminated glass is far superior.
Therefore, the choice of which type of glass to use depends on your specific needs: whether you pursue ultimate sturdiness or place more emphasis on safety protection after breaking.
