Colored Glass

Glass is considered as an important element in the superfluity of available construction materials. The cuteness of glass lies in its ability to provide a variety of innovative solutions for interior and exterior decoration. Versatility of glass has made it possible to create anything, from transparent staircases, to colored  furniture and shelves in showrooms, designer ceilings and translucent floorings.

Glass derives a greenish tint from iron impurities that are present in the glass. Sometimes it is necessary to remove unwanted color caused by impurities to make clear glass or to prepare it for coloring. Decolorizers are used to precipitate out iron and sulfur compounds present as impurities in glass. Manganese dioxide and cerium oxide are common decolorizers.

The use of colored glass can be traced back to Victorian architecture and Gothic Cathedrals. Examples of popular colored glasses include ruby glass (invented in 1679, using gold chloride) and uranium glass (invented in the 1830s, glass that glows in the dark, made by using uranium oxide). Additives added to change the color of glass are metal and metal Oxides.The list of glass pigments are as follows.

• Iron Oxide: Bluish Green Glass
• Sulphur used with Carbon and Iron Polysulphides: Amber Colour Glass
• Cobalt:Blue glass
• Copper Oxide : Turquiose Colour Glass
• Copper Metal :  Red  Glass
• Tin compounds: White Glass
• Mix of cadmium & sulphur: Deep yellow color Glass
• Gold Chloride: Ruby red glass

           Light blue               Blue Green                 Green                        Blue Grey 
  

Some special effects can be applied to glass to affect its color and overall appearance. Iridescent glass, sometimes called iris glass, is made by adding metallic compounds to the glass or by spraying the surface with stannous chloride or lead chloride and reheating it in a reducing atmosphere. Dichroic glass is an iridescent effect in which the glass appears to be of different colors, depending on the angle from which it is viewed. This effect is caused by applying very thin layers of colloidal metals (e.g., gold or silver) to the glass.