Univ. Researchers Develop New Blast-Resistant Glass

(Paul Ragdale/Department of Homeland Security)

A team of engineers from the University of Missouri in Columbia and the University of Sydney in Australia is developing a blast-resistant glass that is lighter, thinner, and colorless, yet tough enough to withstand the force of an explosion, earthquake, or hurricanes winds. Their research is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Installing blast-resistant glass in buildings that are potential targets of attacks or in regions prone to severe weather can save lives. Current blast-resistant glass technology, however, is thicker than a 300-page novel, which makes it difficult and expensive to replace standard glass windows in present structures.

The new material is a plastic composite that has an interlayer of polymer reinforced with glass fibers-and it’s only a quarter-inch thick, unlike blast-resistant windows today that are made of pure polymer layers. The project team recently subjected their new glass pane to a small explosion. The discharge left the pane cracked, but the front surface remained completely intact (see photo right).

The new plastic composite uses glass fibers in the form of a woven cloth soaked with liquid plastic and bonded with adhesive. The pane is a layer of this glass-reinforced clear plastic sandwiched between two slim sheets of glass.

The new material is expected to be comparable in cost to current blast-proof glass panes, but lighter in weight. Since the composite is only a quarter-inch thick, it is expected to fit standard commercial window frames.

*     *     *