Glass Packaging

About Glass Packaging

Glass is the preferred packaging material. It is also used in pharmaceutical industry because it possesses superior protective qualities. Glass containers are readily available in a variety of sizes and shapes. It is an amorphous, hard, brittle, transparent or translucent. having no definite melting point obtained by fusing a mixture of several metallic silicates or borates of sodium, potassium, calcium and lead.

Uses

Packaging (jars for food, bottles for drinks, flacon for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals)
Tableware (drinking glasses, plate, cups, bowls)
Housing and buildings (windows, facades, conservatory, insulation, reinforcement
structures)

Properties

Amorphous
Brittle (easily breakable).
Transparent or translucent.
Good electrical insulator.
Unaffected by air, water, acid or chemical reagents.
No definite crystal structure means it has high compressive strength.
Can absorb, transmit and reflect light

Advantages

Transparent
Chemically inert
Impermeable
Chemically resistant
Easily sterilized
Resistant to internal pressure and compression
Widely accepted
Reusable
Good quality image

Disadvantages

Fragile
Not resistant to temperature change
Heavy
They may crack when subjected to sudden changes in temperature.
Expensive in comparison to plastic.
Transportation cost is high because of its heavy weight.
Less pressure safety and impact resistance.
Special care and protection is required for transportation of glass containing formulations.
Certain types of glasses release alkali into the container contents.

Glass Packaging

About Glass Packaging

Uses

Properties

Advantages

Disadvantages

Manufacturers