Glazing into the future: how liquid composites are changing the commercial glass market
For years, glass has let light in and kept the cold and wet out. Now, with new manufacturing techniques, glass can deliver so much more; sound reduction, enhanced security or improved fire resistance. These improvements can make a big difference to the wellbeing and productivity of those people occupying many modern, glass structures. Key to the increasing success of liquid composites is that whilst the composite significantly enhances and extends the inherent capabilities of the glass it does so without compromising on its clarity.
More and more liquid composites are being introduced into the commodity laminate market. Alongside benefits for the final building occupiers, there are also benefits in the production process in terms of curing speed and improved production capacity, as well as structural benefits, where they exhibit high performance with regard to creep, tensile and sheer performances.
Architects, and consequently glass and façade engineers, are pushing the boundaries and laminating glass panels to deliver enhanced performance criteria and adding additional features to the interlayer itself all help make these specifications possible. The design flexibility, process and behaviour characteristics and the benefits of a passive curing profile, synonymous with wet lamination, are fuelling the growing focus on adding function to glass. There will always be a role for foils but as our expectations of buildings, their performance and the materials from which they are constructed continue to expand then the role of the liquid composite is one that is only going to increase.
To find out more about how a liquid composite might help with improving safety, fire resistance, manual attack and blast resistance, sound reduction and protection from UV light damage then please contact:
Chris Davis, Composites Manager, HB Fuller Kommerling
chris.davis@hbfuller.com
www.kommerlinguk.com or www.hbfuller.com
