Clear Sheet Glass The Ultimate Guide to Understanding and Utilizing This Versatile Material

Clear Sheet Glass – Technical Specifications & Application Guide​​

Clear sheet glass refers to flat, transparent glass produced through either the traditional ​​drawn glass process​​ or modern ​​float glass method​​, serving as the fundamental material for countless architectural and industrial applications.

​​Manufacturing Processes & Key Variants​​

1. ​​Float Glass (Standard Clear)​​

   • Molten glass floated on tin bath (Pilkington process)

   • Surface quality: <100nm roughness

   • Thickness range: 0.4mm to 25mm (±0.1mm tolerance)

   • Standard sizes: 3210×2250mm, 3300×2140mm (jumbo sizes available)

2. ​​Drawn Glass (Obsolete in most markets)​​

   • Vertical drawing method (Libbey-Owens process)

   • Visible "draw lines" and distortion

   • Primarily used in restoration projects

3. ​​Low-Iron Clear Glass​​

   • Fe₂O₃ content <0.01% (vs 0.1% standard)

   • Light transmission: 91-92% (vs 88% standard)

   • Color neutrality: a* 0.2, b* 0.8 (CIELAB)

​​Optical & Physical Properties​​

​​Mechanical Performance Data​​

1. ​​Strength Characteristics:​​

   • Modulus of Rupture: 45MPa (annealed)

   • Young's Modulus: 72GPa

   • Knoop Hardness: 585 kg/mm²

2. ​​Thermal Properties:​​

   • Coefficient of Expansion: 9×10⁻⁶/°C (20-300°C)

   • Thermal Conductivity: 1.0 W/(m·K)

   • Maximum Service Temp: 280°C (annealed)

3. ​​Chemical Resistance:​​

   • Hydrolytic Class: III (DIN ISO 719)

   • Acid Resistance: Class 1 (ISO 695)

   • Alkali Resistance: Moderate

​​Standard Thickness Applications​​

​​Quality Grades & Standards Compliance​​

1. ​​Optical Quality Classes (EN 572-1):​​

   • ​​Class 1:​​ Distortion-free (architectural premium)

   • ​​Class 2:​​ Minor visible distortions

   • ​​Class 3:​​ Industrial grade (non-critical uses)

2. ​​Key Standards:​​

   • ​​EN 572-1​​ (European float glass)

   • ​​ASTM C1036​​ (US flat glass)

   • ​​JIS R3202​​ (Japanese standard)

   • ​​GB 11614​​ (Chinese float glass)

​​Specialty Clear Glass Options​​

1. ​​Extra-White Glass​​

   • UV transmission >70%

   • Solar transmittance 91%

2. ​​Anti-Reflective Glass​​

   • Reflectance <1% per surface

   • Multi-layer coating

3. ​​Self-Cleaning Glass​​

   • Photocatalytic TiO₂ coating

   • Hydrophilic surface (<10° contact angle)

​​Global Suppliers & Product Lines​​

1. ​​NSG Group (Pilkington Optiwhite)​​

   • 94% light transmission

   • 0.005% Fe₂O₃ content

2. ​​Saint-Gobain (SGG Diamant)​​

   • Distortion-free premium clear

   • Jumbo sheets to 18×3.3m

3. ​​Guardian Glass (Guardian Clear)​​

   • High flatness tolerance (±0.05mm)

   • UV-blocking variants

4. ​​AGC (Ultra-Clear)​​

   • 93.5% light transmission

   • Low-iron float glass