What is borosilicate glass and why is it better?
What is borosilicate glass?
Most people don’t realize that not all glass is the same. Borosilicate glass is a special type of glass that combines two chemicals in high concentrations: boron trioxide and silicon dioxide. These safe and environmentally friendly chemicals make borosilicate glass more resistant to heat than other forms of glass on the market.
What is borosilicate glass made of?
Borosilicate glass is made of boron trioxide combined with silica sand, soda ash and alumina. Because of the different melting points of the various ingredients, it took manufacturers quite a bit of time to figure out how to make glass. Even today, they use a range of methods, including molding, pulling and floating.
What is the difference between borosilicate glass and sodium calcium glass?
Sodium-calcium glass is the most common type of glass. You can find it in a variety of applications, from window glazing to glass jars. Sodium-calcium glass accounts for about 90% of all glass made in the world.
The main difference between sodium-calcium glass and borosilicate glass lies in their silica and boron trioxide content. Sodium-calcium glass typically contains 69 percent silica, while borosilicate glass is 80.6 percent. It also contains much less boron trioxide: just 1%, compared with 13% for borosilicate.
Four factors distinguish borosilicate glass from its conventional sodium-calcium counterpart. As mentioned above, it’s thermal shock resistant, which means you can pour boiling water into a borosilicate glass pot and it won’t crack. Borosilicate glass is harder than regular glass because it can be molded into more complex shapes. It’s also more resistant to acid etching (which is why you’ll usually find it used in chemistry LABS).
Is borosilicate glass safe or toxic?
Like normal glass, borosilicate glass is completely non-toxic.
Does borosilicate glass contain BPA?
Borosilicate glass itself does not contain BPA. However, some products that use borosilicate may have other components made from BPA plastics. When choosing borosilicate products, check the chemical composition of any plastic products. All pure borosilicate glass products, such as baking pans, are 100% BPA free.
Is borosilicate glass safe to drink?
Borosilicate glass is safe to drink, just like regular glass. Borosilicate glass can help you improve sustainability and keep plastic waste out of landfills, which is good news for the environment. Plastic pollution is a major problem, so using reusable kettles or bottles made from borosilicate glass can go a long way.
Should I switch to borosilicate glass kettles/bottles?
The great thing about borosilicate is that it gives you all the advantages of glass, but none of the disadvantages. From an environmental point of view, borosilicate is a godsend. It’s strong enough to compete with plastic, but it doesn’t contain any harmful toxins like phthalates or bisphenol A.
Is it worth the price?
For most people, borosilicate is worth the extra money. It’s extremely durable and stands the test of time, while preventing any unsavory chemicals from seeping into the crystal-clear drinking water. It is reusable and recyclable.