When irregularly shaped tempered glass lands on its sides or corners, it is prone to shattering. If the larger surface area hits first, it is highly unlikely to break.

To ensure safety when using tempered glass products, observe the following precautions:
(1) Inspect appearance: Examine the glass in well-lit conditions. It should be free of visible bubbles, impurities, scratches, or other defects.
(2) Apply safety film to critical areas: For locations with safety risks, such as shower enclosures and bathroom partitions, apply safety film to the inner surface of the glass. This prevents shards from scattering if the glass breaks, as the film holds the fragments in place.
(3) Avoid impact on edges and corners: The edges and corners of tempered glass are relatively fragile. Avoid striking them with hard objects during installation and use.

Comparison of Physical and Chemical Tempering

Physical tempering is “thermodynamically driven.” Glass is heated to its softening point, then rapidly cooled by cold air. The surface solidifies instantly while the interior continues to cool and contract slowly. This “time lag” causes the solidified surface to exert tensile stress on the still-cooling interior, creating powerful compressive stress at the surface.

Chemical tempering is “chemically driven.” Glass is immersed in a high-temperature molten potassium nitrate salt bath, where sodium ions in the glass surface exchange with larger potassium ions in the molten salt. These larger potassium ions squeeze into the glass network structure, effectively “stretching” the surface layer outward to form a compressive stress zone.