Kuraray Europe GmbH Sustainability Blog SentryGlas® – Glass is modern
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Glass is fascinating. No other material stimulates such creativity and offers more opportunities. In art, science and our daily lives: life without glass is unimaginable! Glass is versatile, aesthetic and has remarkable technical properties. What’s more, it’s sustainable! Most types of glass are made from readily available natural raw materials. In some areas, recycling rates are already very high. More energy-efficient smelting technologies and optimized combinations of materials could reduce the carbon footprint of glass even further.
Architects and designers are equally convinced of the benefits of glass and use it wherever possible. These days, innovative solutions give them freedom in the design of projects that seemed unthinkable only a few decades ago. That results in breathtaking constructions such as the Skywalk at the Grand Canyon in the USA, the Shanghai Tower, and the 30 Hudson Yards skyscraper in New York with its glazed outdoor terrace at a dizzying height.
As non-specialists, we wonder how that works: surely, glass is breakable! How can it be so resistant that it can withstand extreme stress and doesn’t shatter into thousands of pieces if something happens?
SentryGlas®: Strong, safe – and sustainable!
One solution that has become established on the market as one of the world’s leading products is SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer from Kuraray. This thermoplastic ionoplast enables glazing that is especially strong, safe and appealing. As an interlayer in laminated safety glass, SentryGlas® provides strength and has very high residual load-bearing capacity. “The higher the residual load-bearing capacity, the greater the load the glazing can bear, even if the panes of glass break,” explains Christoph Troska, Head of New Market Development in Kuraray’s AIS Division.
The product is up to one hundred times stiffer and five time stronger than conventional laminated interlayers made from polyvinyl butyral (PVB) so it gives glass structures very high stability. That is not surprising, given that SentryGlas® was originally developed to withstand maximum wind pressure in a hurricane. Moreover, it has no problem withstanding temperatures up to 80 °C and extreme temperature fluctuations – or the impact of an accident or even deliberate damage, for example, in the event of an attempted burglary.
However, enhanced safety is not the only benefit of the exceptional properties of SentryGlas® . They also allow far thinner and lighter glass constructions. The total thickness of this film is between 0.89 and 3.04 millimetres if it is supplied in sheet form or between 0.76 and 1.27 millimetres when supplied on rolls. That results in considerable CO2 savings in energy-intensive glass production. “However, this positive climate benefit is not enough for us. It is an incentive to improve the sustainability of our entire product portfolio even further,” stresses Jörg Schappel, Director Safety, Health & Sustainability at Kuraray Europe.
At least two panes of glass are combined with a tear-resistant polymer film to form laminated safety glass. This film normally comprises polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or, in the case of SentryGlas®, an ionoplast. It makes sure that if the glass breaks, the shards are held fast and do not fly around. That reduces the risk of cuts and gives the glass units high residual load-bearing capacity.
The excellent technical, economic and ecological properties of SentryGlas® make it the product of choice beyond architectural applications. It is also used in automotive engineering and the transport sector – everywhere, where glass needs to meet the highest requirements.
Transparent glass is attractive ...
... but it’s often fatal for birds. Large glazed surfaces can be a risk to birds because they fail to see that it is in the way and fly straight into it. Opaque or coloured glass is one option, but it doesn’t always meet design requirements. Kuraray’s BirdSecure® makes no compromises. “Intelligent glass design can help meet the demands made on glazed constructions and modern buildings and make them less bird-unfriendly,” says Christoph Troska, Head of New Market Development in Kuraray’s AIS Division. Developed as an alternative to screen printing, SentryGlas BirdSecure® has a dotted pattern that people only see when they are close up. By contrast, birds see it from far away and can avoid collisions.
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