Everyone knows what glass is, and most know what sapphires are. Beautiful gems that are used to make jewelry. But what is sapphire crystal, what is it for, and what does it have to do with minerals?
Different kinds
There are three main varieties used in modern conditions: Plexiglass or, as it is also called, plastic, as well as mineral and sapphire crystals, although the first, in fact, is not. In fact, of course, there are much more types, since various spraying, additives, etc. are used. Without some preparation, not everyone can distinguish one variety from another, but for a specialist and just a person who has some experience with glasses, this will not a lot of work.
The main properties of sapphire crystal
Officially, this substance is called monocrystalline aluminum. Far not so beautiful, right? And in fact, this is not glass at all, but a crystal. He has a very mediocre relationship to sapphires, because we are not talking about natural stones, but those that were obtained in laboratory conditions. However, this does not detract from the excellent properties of this material.
Firstly, it is extremely durable. It is quite difficult to scratch it with something other than a diamond, so that no scuffs and opacities are not afraid of him. On the one hand, this extends the life of products, but on the other hand, it complicates processing, and therefore increases the cost of production. Secondly, this material has a beautiful glossy sheen and significant transparency. And thirdly, it is very fragile. Surprisingly, but like diamonds, having tremendous hardness, sapphire crystal is easily broken, therefore, products with its use should be treated with care.
Application
First of all, of course, plexiglass, mineral or sapphire glass are used in the watch industry to protect the dial. But in the near future they say that they will also be used as a cover for the screens of smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices. The mineral variety has been used for quite some time, but sapphire crystal for watches and touch devices has been developed relatively recently. Of course, patent wars are already being waged on this subject, and competitors are arguing over which species is still better. So, what is the difference between the two most common materials, and which one to prefer?
Mineral or Sapphire: Comparative Description
They differ significantly in price, in properties and prevalence. Both varieties have their advantages and disadvantages. Nevertheless, sapphire crystal on the watch has become more a symbol of status than a necessity, while mineral seems to be the lot of the middle class. Is it really?
Sapphire crystal is harder. Usually, according to the Mohs school, he is assigned the value 9, while the mineral is content with an indicator of 6.5. This means that any metal keys can damage it. Sapphire spraying, on the other hand, can prevent this problem.
Mineral glass is less fragile. Unfortunately, sapphire crystal is very easy to break, so you should not beat the clock with a hammer on the dial. Recent developments and improvements in mineral glass have shown that it is 2.5 times more difficult to destroy.
Sapphire crystal is thicker and heavier. For watches, it does not matter, but for the screens of electronic devices - what else. The thinner the glass, the better the touch screen responds to touch. The mass of mineral glass is 1.6 times less than the analogue. The difference is small, but in connection with the desire for compactness, this can be an advantage.
Finally, the price. Sapphire crystal is difficult to process, so the cost of its production is about 10 times higher than in the case of mineral. More energy is spent on its manufacture, and also this process is rather environmentally friendly.
How to distinguish?
First of all, this can be done by marking sapphire glass or crystal glass. The latter refers to the mineral. If there are no markings or if it is necessary to check, then it will be necessary to find out with the help of a series of experiments.
The easiest way is to determine how quickly the glass heats up. Sapphire remains cold much longer than the mineral variety, but in this case it is necessary that there is something to compare.
Another way is to try to scratch the glass with something metallic. Sapphire will not succumb, but a mineral can remain scratched. In addition, so many new technologies for the manufacture of organic glasses have recently appeared that their hardness has increased significantly, so even this test may not help. Another type of verification is also not very accurate, but it can be useful. It is necessary to drop a little water on the glass and tilt the surface. From organic glass, the liquid slides easily, and to sapphire, especially with anti-reflective coating, it seems to stick, retaining its shape.
In any case, the marking of the latter variety must be present. You also need to remember that sapphire crystal simply cannot be cheap. So too low a price - an occasion to doubt the honesty of the seller and demand documents for the goods.