Embossed craft glass is widely used in many fields for its unique decorative properties. However, its scratch resistance and improved surface hardness are crucial to extending its service life and maintaining its beauty.
First of all, the choice of glass material is the foundation. Glass with different compositions has different hardness properties. For example, adding an appropriate amount of silica, alumina and other ingredients to ordinary soda-lime glass can significantly increase the hardness of the glass. High silica glass has excellent scratch resistance due to its high silica content. In the early stages of embossed craft glass production, precise selection of glass raw materials with appropriate hardness can lay a good foundation for subsequent anti-scratch treatment. For example, for some patterned glass used in commercial display situations that require extremely high surface hardness, special glass formulas with higher hardness can be given priority for production.
Secondly, surface coating treatment is a key means to enhance scratch resistance. By coating the surface of patterned glass with a hard coating, such as silicone coating, nano-ceramic coating, etc., its surface hardness can be effectively improved. These coatings can form a hard and wear-resistant protective film on the glass surface. When scratched by external forces, the coating will first withstand wear and tear, thus protecting the glass substrate. For example, the hardness of nanoceramic coatings prepared by the sol-gel method can be as high as 8-9H (pencil hardness), which greatly enhances the scratch resistance of patterned glass. Moreover, the coating can also improve the smoothness of the glass surface and reduce the possibility of scratches without affecting the decorative effect of embossed craft glass.
Furthermore, the ion exchange strengthening process also has a significant effect on improving the scratch resistance and surface hardness of embossed craft glass. This process is to place the glass in a specific molten salt to exchange sodium ions on the glass surface with potassium ions in the molten salt. After ion exchange, a compressive stress layer forms on the glass surface, which not only improves the strength of the glass but also enhances its scratch resistance. For example, the surface hardness of patterned glass after ion exchange strengthening treatment can be increased by 20% - 30%, which can better resist scratches by hard objects such as keys and metal utensils in daily use. This strengthening process is particularly suitable for some embossed glass products that need to withstand certain external impacts and require high surface quality, such as glass tabletops and glass doors.
Finally, during the production and use of embossed craft glass, good maintenance can also help maintain its scratch resistance and surface hardness. Avoid using sharp, rough cleaning tools and use a soft cloth or special glass cleaner for cleaning. At the same time, during transportation and installation, protective measures must be taken to prevent the glass surface from being bumped and scratched. For example, add cushioning pads between glasses, use special glass handling tools, etc. Through these measures, the service life of embossed craft glass can be extended to a certain extent, allowing it to maintain good appearance and performance for a long time and meet the needs of various application scenarios.
