Page 16 - The Science of Glass

By the early 1900s, people in Germany had perfected making glass using
a mixture of chemicals called soda lime. That mixture was being used to
make most of the world’s laboratory glassware. This was a problem for many
scientists during World War I. The Germans would not sell glass to their
enemies, including the United States and Great Britain.

American scientists began making their own glass. It was called
borosilicate. It was incredibly strong. It could withstand high temperatures.
It could also hold volatile chemicals.

Borosilicate glass was more expensive to make than soda lime glass.
But scientists liked its durability. Borosilicate glass spread in the scientific
community. Today, it can be found in most labs around the world.

If you drop a container made
from borosilicate glass on the
floor, it will not shatter into tiny
pieces. Borosilicate glass breaks
into large chunks, making it one
of the safest glasses to handle.

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