The Chemistry of Glass
The Chemistry of Glass
BLOWN GLASS PIPES
A Breakdown of the Chemistry
Silicon dioxide, or sand as most people know
it, has quite a bit of fun with its complex molecular cousins. The
atomic dance they perform create some of the most beautiful structures
known to man. Most know that one of these structures is glass, but few
know of the wonderful things that happen at the molecular level during
this transition. When the right temperature is reached, there is a
state that the silicon dioxide enters that is not solid yet not quite
liquid - this is called the transient state. As the tight bonds between
the molecules are released from the solid, they form new bonds that
stretch and bend and allow for distortion of their structure. It is at
this point that the glass blower can form the pipe into the beautiful
shapes that you see and add the wonderful colors to the glass that give
each piece their uniqueness and their beauty. For the colors of these
beautiful Borisil glass pieces, we use copper, silver and cobalt. These
elements actually become a part of the complex lattice molecular
structure of the glass. The final product is a blown glass that has one
of the smoothest and stunning surfaces of any material on the planet.
Each of these pipes is an expression in glass art that will never be
duplicated. If they were to be numbered, they would each be 1 of 1.
These glass pipes are blown by hand and each holds a color pattern that
can be admired for years to come. These investments in art can be sold
on the open glass market, displayed in a glass cabinet, or used to
enjoy some of the best tasting smoke this planet produces.
Atomic Ingredients:
Silicon, Oxygen
Carbon, Hydrogen
Copper, Cobalt, Silver
Heat
Human
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