2007-05-04 06:54:59 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Hi, I'm a scientific glassblower at a major university in the Mid-West. Borosilicate means the glass contains 5% boric oxide. Glass is sand (silica) and other ingredients to give it specific properties like melting temp, chemical resistance, light transmission, thermal shock resistance, etc. Borosilicate is the most common glass for scientific applications. If you have other questions about glass or the application of something for glassware please don't hesitate to e-mail me. See my profile.
2007-05-04 07:09:07 · answer #1 · answered by vantil23 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Glass (of the type that we're talking about here) is mostly silicon dioxide, hence the "silicate" part of the name. But silicon dioxide has a very high melting temperature. Boron is a powerful flux for silica and allows the glass to be made at a lower temperature.
2007-05-04 14:03:00 · answer #2 · answered by dogsafire 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋