Toughened or tempered glass is a type of safety glass that has increased strength and will usually shatter in small, irregular pieces when broken. It is used when strength, thermal resistance and safety are important considerations.
Toughened glass is made from annealed glass by a thermal tempering process. The glass is placed onto a roller table, taking it through a furnace which heats it to above its annealing point. The glass is then rapidly cooled with forced draughts of air to below its annealing point, causing it to harden and contract, while the inner portion of the glass remains free to flow for a short time. The final contraction of the inner layer induces compressive stresses in the surface of the glass balanced by tensile stresses in the body of the glass.
It is this compressive stress that gives the toughened glass an increased strength - typically four to six times the strength of annealed glass. The pattern of cooling during the process can be revealed by observing the glass with polarised light, which shows the strain pattern in the glass.
See also Prince Rupert's Drops
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