Thin glass is characterised by its low thickness and high strength, which allows for large deformations. For architects and designers, this means more individuality and more freedom in façade forms with a low dead weight. As a flexible, transparent material, thin glass can also be used in adaptive and movable façades. However, the construction industry places stringent safety requirements on the glazing, which cannot be met by monolithic thin glass panes.
The ThinLam research project from Folienwerk Wolfen, Schott Technical Glass Solutions and the Institute of Building Construction at the TUD Dresden University of Technology focuses on the development of laminated thin glass with safe fracture behaviour. The main focus is on the development of a suitable interlayer. Not only should this interlayer guarantee safety-relevant properties, but also enable the (cyclic) cold bending of the laminated safety glass in the long term.
Both single-layer interlayers and multi-layer sandwich films are being considered. Lamination processes and test concepts have to be adapted as many standardised test methods are not designed for thin glass. The demonstrator that the three project partners are presenting at glasstec 2024, shows chemically toughened aluminosilicate glass with an interlayer of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) film and a rigid interlayer of modified polyethylene terephthalate (MPE). These are subjected to torsion. The panes exhibited are suitable as adaptive elements for ventilation or shading, for example.