Crystal clear safety thanks to DuPont SentryGlas(R)

Laminated architectural glass is being used increasingly to meet modern safety codes and save energy through added daylighting and solar design. It also adds anti-intrusion security, sound reduction and protection from UV rays. Two common types of interlayer for laminated glass are films made of polyvinyl butyral, also called PVB, or DuPont™ SentryGlas® ionoplast. The latter, developed especially for structural elements in architectural glazing, offers greater levels of clarity, is 5 times tougher and up to 100 times stiffer than PVB. Accordingly, SentryGlas® is particularly well-suited to overhead glazing installations, facades, stair treads, balustrades or flooring applications.

The laminates photographed here were made with low-iron glass, gaining popularity for its clear white light, compared to using normal (greenish) glass. In laminates made with low-iron glass, the color contributed by the interlayer becomes more important. Many architects prefer the more natural, non-yellow light transmitted through low-iron laminates made with SentryGlas® interlayers (right) over those made with PVB (left).