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A further type of interlayer can be used with thicker sheets of toughened glass to manufacture high security, ballistic, and even blast-proof glass, helping to design into the built environment a degree of deterrent against criminals and terrorists
invaluable benefit in offices and boardrooms, where openness and clear sight lines are valued by a client, but confidentiality for sensitive discussions is essential. In domestic settings this is also a huge benefit in urban locations where street noise can be a problem. Another option that is growing in popularity in both commercial and domestic settings is LCD privacy glass. This is created using a specialised technical interlayer, through which a small electric current is run, allowing the user to choose between transparency and opacity at the push of a button. When the current is passed through the interlayer, light is allowed through and the glass is made optically clear. Once the current is switched off, the panel instantly becomes opaque. In open plan domestic settings this is proving very versatile for screening and zoning living areas such as the bedroom or bathroom, and also in place of curtains or blinds, giving a minimalist approach to alternating between privacy or enjoying the view.
This switchable glass can also be useful for security. If potential thieves cannot see their target, they are often deterred from making an attempt to steal it. This type of glass is therefore increasingly being used by high-end retail outlets from car showrooms to jewellers, and even in banks, to protect
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tellers from armed robbers. A further type of interlayer can be used with thicker sheets of toughened glass to manufacture high security, ballistic, and even blast-proof glass, helping to design into the built environment a degree of deterrent against criminals and terrorists. The characteristics of toughened laminated glass are such that even when the panel is damaged and its clarity compromised by fractures, it will normally stay in place. The glass panel may be dented or pushed out of shape, but it takes a long time and a high level of tooling to make an actual breach in high security glass, especially that designed to withstand ballistics. Law enforcement support will usually arrive well before the perpetrator would manage to achieve a hole large enough to enter the premises.
Glass has been a highly desirable element in construction since Roman times, simply because it lets in natural light. Thanks to developments in toughened laminated glass processing, despite the passage of many centuries, modern processed glass can now do so much more, keeping it firmly at the forefront of building materials development.
Susan Sinden is commercial director at ESG Group
ADF FEBRUARY 2020
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