Compositions Of A Bullet Proof Glass

Transparent armor, ballistic glass, and bullet-resistant glass are just some of the terms that are used to pertain to bullet proof glass. If you simply look at it, you will not find anything special about it. But if you fire a round onto it you will see how special it is. However, it is not totally impervious.

Several layers of alternating tempered glass and plastic make up the transparent armor. Transparent polycarbonate is usually the chosen material in the manufacture of which. The layers are glued on top of each other in the process that is called lamination. Basically, thicker layers are more effective at stopping higher powered ammo. Transparency is quite harder to obtain if more layers are put it. Also, image distortion is probable with more layers.

Tempered glasses are specialized in such a way that it becomes about four times stronger than the regular ones. Further processing gives it its strength. During the process, it is heated to temperatures as high as six hundred twenty degrees Celsius. After being heated to such a high temperature, it is quickly cooled. This process changes its molecular structure. This renders the molecules more even and when it breaks, it shatters to rounded pieces instead of sharp shards.

Polycarbonate is a kind of plastic that is flexible and resilient. The chains that make up polycarbonate are elastic while the bonds among the molecules are very strong. When hit, it is pliable but the strong bonds do not allow it to break. This type of plastic is also light and thin. Thus using this, makes the transparent armor lighter and thinner but more expensive.

Each material has its own function. Glass absorbs the energy of the round and at the same time, it is plastic that disperses that energy. As more and more layers are penetrated by the round, more and more energy is lost and dispersed until finally it can no longer continue and it stops before hitting the target. In addition to diffusing the energy, plastic also prevent the flight of the glasses.

Transparent armor that prevents rounds from coming but lets rounds to go out through it are also available for use today. This is made of two types of materials. The outer layer is made of material that breaks while the inner layer is made up material that flexes.

A round fired to target inside the armor loses energy as it hits the breakable layer. This energy loss renders the bullet stoppable by the flexible layers. However, ammo that hits the flexible layer first contains all its energy until it reaches the breakable part which yields to it. Thus allowing the bullet to get out without loss to its momentum.

There are a lot of uses for this material. When before it was only used for combat, today it is also used as added security features for different industries. Banks and jewelry stores employ such materials to protect the institutions from robbers. Automobiles of dignitaries and leaders use it as well.

Bullet proof glass is not completely resistant to bullets. It simply buys one time so that contingency plans may be executed. But maybe with continuous research, scientists will finally be able to come up with material that will be completely bullet proof.