4 ms·
Yes, but the chemical treatment works by setting up the same kind of internal stresses - IIRC, it replaces the Sodium atoms in the glass with Potassium, and it'
by oneandoneis2 14y ago
Yes, but the chemical treatment works by setting up the same kind of internal stresses - IIRC, it replaces the Sodium atoms in the glass with Potassium, and it's the size difference that does the magic.
- ricardobeat 14y ago"Specifically, glass is placed in a 400°C molten potassium salt bath, which forces potassium ions to replace the sodium ions originally in the glass. The larger potassium ions take up more space between the other atoms in the glass. As the glass cools, the crunched-together atoms produce a high level of compressive stress in the glass that helps protect the surface from mechanical damage."