Is Glass More Scratchable Than Plastic According to the Mohs Hardness Scale?

  • Thread starter Thread starter darknumbers
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary
Glass tables are popular in dining areas, but they are often criticized for being easily scratchable. Despite glass having a higher hardness than normal plastics according to the Mohs Hardness Scale, it can still sustain damage from softer materials. The discussion highlights the differences in glass types, such as Flint and Crown glass, indicating that not all glass is the same in terms of durability. Additionally, the conversation touches on the use of polycarbonate materials in optometry, which, while prone to scratching, offer significant shatter resistance, making them a preferable choice for environments with young or active children.
darknumbers
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Glass tables can be easily found in many dining areas. But people always complain that they are easily scratchable. Here my friend has tried to use normal plastic (which has very low hardness) to scratch the glass top, what I can observe is it actually give small damages to the surface...

If according to Mohs Hardness Scale (Or some other theoretical tables), glass has higher hardness than normal plastics. But what are the reason behind this?

I'm not an expert nor student in material science. Any explanation will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much!
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
You might look into the differences between Flint and Crown glasses. All glass is not
created equal... There are lots of different formulations. Good luck.

As an optician, I advised parents of young or very active children to opt for polycarbonate lenses instead of conventional plastic or glass, because the poly is very shatter-resistant. It scratches very easily, but is as tough as can be.
 
I need to anneal 5052 aluminum for a home project. Google has given me mixed results on how to do this. Short version is that I'm doing some heavy forming on a piece of 5052-H32 and I'm running into issues with it work hardening. I've tried the Sharpie trick with a propane torch. But I'm not sure this is doing anything. I'm also seeing conflicting opinions whether to quench or air cool. So I'm looking for some expert opinions. (Oven heating is not an option due to size.) Thanks. edit: The...

Similar threads

  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
24K
  • · Replies 287 ·
10
Replies
287
Views
27K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
Replies
4
Views
10K
Replies
26
Views
8K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
4K
Replies
1
Views
6K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
7K