Body-tinted glass is normal float glass into whose melt colorants are added for tinting and solar-radiation absorption properties. This tinted glass saves energy and reduces heat penetration into buildings and gives a striking visual effect. Coloured glass is an important architectural element for the exterior appearance of façades.

Tinted glass refers to any glass that has been treated with a material such as a film or coating, which reduces its ability to transmit light. Glass can be tinted with various types of coating, which block and/or reflect different amounts and types of light, according to the needs and preferences of the consumer. Glare reduction is another important property of tinted glass.  Glare

The production process of body-tinted glass is similar to that of float glass. The only variation is in the colorants mixed at the beginning with the standard raw materials. Body-tinted glass is produced when colorants and iron are introduced during the glass manufacturing process. Different additives may produce differently coloured glasses. Bronze, dark grey and green are the commonly used tints.

The end product does not affect the basic structure of the glass itself, but does enhance its performance in relation to the (solar) electromagnetic spectrum. The colour is homogenous throughout the thickness of the glass. The solar energy transmission, shading coefficient and visible light passing through the tinted glass will vary according to the colour selected.

During the float glass melt process, chemical colorants can be added which tint the colour and increase absorption from the sun. This helps minimize the solar radiation that enters a building, keeping it cool from the inside and protecting furniture from fading. As an example of the colorants used - to create a purple exterior, manganese is added, while pinks and reds can be produced from selenium.

Colorants and colours

Some of the most-used colorants and the colours they produce are listed below:

Iron                    –   Green, brown, blue
Manganese     –   Purple
Chromium       –   Green, yellow, pink
Vanadium        –   Green, blue, grey
Copper             –   blue, green, red
Cobalt               –   blue, green, pink
Nickel               –   yellow, purple
Titanium          –   purple, brown
Cerium             –   yellow
Selenium         –   pink, red
Gold                  –   Red
Cadmium-
Sulphide          –   yellow
Carbon &
Sulphur            –   amber, brown

Double-Glazed with High-Performance Tinted Glass

Tinted Glass is intended for universal application: Either as single or double glazing for a basic level of solar control, and even in furniture, interior design, partitions, etc. It is also the base glass for many high performance comfort glasses.

Doubly-glazed tinted glass reduces solar heat gain to below that of bronze or gray tint but has a visible transmittance closer to clear glass. High-performance or spectrally selective tinted glass products are typically light green or light blue. The tint has no effect on the U-factor but reduces solar heat gain. Doubly glazed tinted glass allows 51 percent of solar heat gain and 69 percent transmission of visible light.

Advantages

• Saves energy, controls solar heat and gives a striking visual effect
• Meets the increasing demands for light in workplaces, creates attractive interiors and gives a feeling of spaciousness
• Offers a practical, stylish alternative to traditional materials when used in screens, partitions and furniture at home or in the office 
• Gives designers the freedom to create attractive modern environments that are also economical and easy to maintain

Body tinted glass gives the added benefit of making a building look unique and contemporary, creating a lasting impression for business HQs.

Applications  

The range of available  thicknesses enable glass to be used where superior strength, greater spans, reduced deflection, higher daylight transmission and enhanced noise suppression are required.

Automobiles

One of the most common applications of tinted glass is in automobile windows. Almost all cars come with tinting at the top of the windshield to reduce solar glare when the sun is low in the sky. Apart from this, the windows of several cars are tinted either at the factory or as an aftermarket add-on by the consumer, to provide privacy to the car’s occupants, as also to reduce the build-up of heat in a car while it is parked outdoors.

Dwellings

Another popular use of tinted glass is in windows of homes and commercial buildings. Residential glass tinting is much easier to do than automotive tinting. It can even be done by the homeowner himself, with some practice. Tinted glass in homes serves many practical purposes, such as limiting ultraviolet light transmission through windows, and reducing overall heat gain inside the home by reflecting solar heat energy, thereby saving the homeowner money on air-conditioning.

Commercial Buildings

Tinted glass is also used in commercial buildings. Apart from keeping the interiors cooler, it gives the outside of a building a more uniform, aesthetically pleasing appearance. Depending on the creative use of different colours of tinted glass, the building can also take on a unique and interesting appearance while being insulated from the sun at the same time.