Pilkington Optiwhite™

If we carefully observe a normal float glass we can notice that, contrary to the cliché according to which the glass is transparent and colorless, in reality it assumes a greenish color, which is seen in particular when observing the edges. The reason for this effect is due to the presence of iron oxides in the raw materials that make up the vitrifiable mixture. Instead, there are applications where it’s required for glass to have the characteristic of being colorless and completely transparent, useful for aesthetic and functional aspects.

From an aesthetic point of view, there are situations where maximum transparency is very important. Let's think about some of interior environments of buildings, where the stairs, partition walls, or balustrades are designed precisely to avoid being a hindrance to the eye or not to alter the color balances of the environment so that they cannot be truly transparent.

The same problem can be found in the case of some furniture where tables, showcases, shelves, need to be fully transparent.

Conversely, from a functional point of view, one of the typical characteristics of the role of windows in a building is to maximize lighting, for both aspects of comfort and energy saving. Having a transparent glass really means to increase living comfort and reduce the cost of artificial lighting.

Here is the product Pilkington claims is suitable to solve these problems: its name is Pilkington Optiwhite™.

It is extra clear glass, with a low content of iron oxides, practically colorless, where the green color is absent. It is therefore the ideal choice in all situations where glass edges are exposed and where a neutral color is preferable.

Its extra-clear appearance is obtained using selected raw materials in the production process,  nearly free from iron oxides and other metals.
In addition to the careful selection of raw materials, it is essential to strictly control a lot of parameters of the melting process to make sure that the properties of glass obtained remain constant over the time.
The result is an extra clear product, with a 3% to 4 % greater transparency than the usual clear glass. The percentage increases to 7% to 8% when the thickness of the glass is bigger than 8 mm.

It is available in thicknesses from 2 mm up to 19 mm.
Its extreme flexibility allows it to associate as well with products of other ranges to add other features.

Due to its characteristics, it is a product appreciated by famous designers in Italy and abroad. For example, it is the product used in the construction of the Church of the Jubilee of 2000, designed by Richard Meier. It is the product used in the Milan City area in the Liebeskind residences, and the glass that envelops the new headquarters of the Cantina Antinori made by the Studio Archea by Professor Marco Casamonti.