Laboratory glassware may be made from several types of glass, each with different capabilities and used for different purposes.Glass has a lot of material properties, the most correct way to identify glass material is chemical analysis, but need to have certain conditions and technology to carry out.
In general, the glass properties can be roughly identified by a simple method. The following is a simple introduction to its identification methods, I hope to give you a certain degree of help.
Drawing method
The properties of glass are distinguished by the different expansion coefficient of glass. Heating two kinds of glass with different material with lamp equipment makes it bond together, and when heating temperature reaches the glass softening temperature, the glass is drawn into fine wire, because the radian formed by different coefficient of expansion is different, the coefficient of expansion with big radian is big, it is soft glass namely, it is hard glass conversely.
Hydrofluoric acid corrosion method
Use steel file to file a mark on the glass with different materials to be distinguished. Then drop a drop of hydrofluoric acid with volume fraction of 1% on the mark. If the liquid drops appear cloudy, it is sodium glass or potassium glass.
Flame method
If the flame is yellow or slightly yellow, it is sodium glass. If it is purple, it is potassium glass.
Heating method
Heat the glass tube on an alcohol blowtorch and it will soon soften and bend into soft glass, while sodium glass will soften and make the flame appear yellowish. Lead glass also softens and darkens easily when heated. Hard glass is not easy to be softened by heat, even if it is softened by heat for a long time, but it becomes hard quickly once it leaves the flame.
Visual measurement
By observing the color of the end of the glass tube to distinguish the glass material, generally soft glass is turquoise, hard glass is mostly yellowish or white, the lighter the color of the glass, the lighter the weight. The visual method is usually mastered by experienced staff members.
The laboratory glassware produced by WUBOLAB (laboratory glassware manufacturer) adopts 3.3 High Borosilicate Glass, of course, it can also be used according to the needs of customers.
