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Technical errors in articles like this stand out so glaringly when they are about something you know. It reminds me to never rely on journalism for technical de
by code_duck 16y ago
Technical errors in articles like this stand out so glaringly when they are about something you know. It reminds me to never rely on journalism for technical details about something I don't know well.
"To make Chemcor, Corning ran the sheets through a "tempering" process that set up internal stresses in the material. The same principle is behind the toughness of Pyrex glass, but Chemcor was tempered in a chemical bath, not by heat treatment."
NOoo - the strength of Pyrex DOES NOT come from being tempered, it is a chemical difference. Pyrex glass is a brand of borosilicate, and it's the high silica content and boron that make it both more mechanically durable and resistant to thermal shock. I don't even think you CAN heat temper borosilicate.
This has been a message from Chem lab dork, carry on, carry on...
- deleted 16y ago[deleted]
- wanderr 16y agoUnfortunately, modern Pyrex contains no borosilicate but is now made from "tempered soda-lime": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrex http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrex
- code_duck 16y agoThat only refers to Pyrex cookware, not lab or glassblowing glass. Historically, Pyrex was a brand of borosilicate labware, glassblowing supplies and cookware, but the cookware brand was spun off by Corning in the 90s. They started making Pyrex brand glassblowing glass in China, and it's still borosilicate (it makes a huge difference for scientific glass blowing!).
- deleted 16y ago[deleted]
- wallflower 16y ago> This has been a message from Chem lab dork, carry on, carry on... Off topic - I remember chucking Nalgene bottles in some labs. What did you think about when Nalgene went from $1 bottles people threw away to brightly colored $15 consumer products?
- code_duck 16y agoIt makes me hope I am smart enough to do the same thing when the chance comes!