In selecting glass for home, kitchen, or industrial use, you may find yourself torn between using ceramic or tempered glass. Both ceramic and tempered glass have their own respective uses, properties and performance levels. We will take a closer look at the differences between both ceramic and tempered glass including how these materials are different and comparing them in different performance categories to help you choose what is best for you.
Ceramic Glass is a material that provides durability with respect to temperature. It is made from crystalline ceramic particles and has a glass structure as well. The difference between ceramic materials and other materials is the way in which they react to heat. Ceramic materials exhibit greater thermal stability and as a result, have been developed for use in very hot environments, such as stoves, fireplaces, and industrial applications. The thermal expansion coefficient of ceramic materials is many times lower than that of other materials, thus making them much less likely to crack when exposed to extreme temperature changes.
Tempered glass is made much stronger than regular glass by being quickly cooled and heated during manufacture. It is used in a wide range of products including: windows, shower doors, car windshields and furniture. Compared to standard glass, tempered glass is more durable but does not perform as well when exposed to extreme temperatures as ceramic does. When tempered glass fails, it shatters into smaller, more rounded pieces (not sharp) so there is less potential for someone to hurt themselves if they were to fall onto the broken glass.
To compare ceramic glass with tempered glass, you will want to compare them based on factors such as durability, thermal performance, and safety. Here are important factors to take into account:
Ceramic Glass is unique. It can withstand very large amounts of thermal and heat shock, with temperature resistance up to 750°C (1382°F). This makes ceramic glass the perfect material for ovens, fireplaces and high temperature usage. Although tempered glass is strong, it has only an average maximum heat resistance of about 370°C (698°F). Therefore, in applications where the amount of heat is significant, ceramic glass is definitely the far better option.
The purpose of tempered glass is safety. It breaks into small rounded pieces when broken, resulting in fewer injuries from broken glass. On the other hand, ceramic glass is much tougher, making it difficult to break in standard usage conditions. Broken ceramic glass typically cracks and not shatters when broken, which makes it advantageous in certain applications.
Tempered glass is an ideal product because of its great optical characteristics and stylish look, therefore it is a popular option for decorative applications such as glass doors and tables. Some types of ceramic glass can be clear; however, most types tend to have a very small amount of tint due to the thermal properties from the manufacturing process. Some graphs may look better or more decorative in a way that may be functional or decorative, for example, ceramic-frit glass, etc.
Glass ceramic is primarily used in extreme temperature or heat fluctuation applications such as cooktops, fireplaces and industrial kilns. On the other hand, tempered glass performs well when you need strength, resistance to impact and an aesthetically pleasing product (eg: furniture or automotive windows). What will influence your final decision will be based upon your intended use!
Answering this is based on what you want out of the material. If heat-resistance, being able to withstand thermal shock and performing at high-temperature levels is your primary concern, ceramic glass is the obvious choice. If safety, impact-resistance and modern design for day-to-day use is more important to you, then tempered glass may be a better fit.
Occasionally a hybrid product such as Ceramic tempered glass may work; however it is usually designed for specific applications and does not provide a high degree of flexibility between various types of tempers.
Ceramic glass is an advanced type of glass that features a very high degree of thermal stability and very low levels of thermal dimensional change. This allows them to be used in applications where high resistance to heat is required, including stoves, fireplaces, and industrial equipment made from ceramic glass.
Ceramic glass is more preferable than tempered glass when looking for heat resistance and durability to withstand temperature changes. When deciding which type is best for your needs, rely on whether you are more concerned with safety/impact resistance or with the appearance of the product.
When exposed to extreme heat, ceramic glass performs much better than tempered glass, because it has a maximum temperature of 750 °C (1382 °F), whereas tempered has a maximum temperature of only about 370 °C (698 °F). As a result of its ability to handle these extremely high temperatures, ceramic is considered the best type of glass to use in heat-exposed situations.
While ceramic glass does have the potential to break, its ability to resist breaking under typical circumstances will usually be quite good; if you were to break ceramic glass, however, you would likely only find that the ceramic will crack apart and not shatter into tiny shards as you would if you had tempered glass.
Your decision whether to go with ceramic or tempered (heat-treated) glazing will be determined by your requirements and priorities. Ceramic provides unrivalled heat resistance, so it is great for use in high-temperature applications; however, tempered glass is superior for strength, safety and aesthetics. By knowing the characteristics and capabilities of both materials, you can select the best glass for your project, environment, or lifestyle.
