Borofloat borosilicate float glass and Starphire soda-lime silicate float glass are used in transparent protective systems. They are known to respond differently in some ballistic and triaxial loading conditions, and efforts are underway to understand the causes of those differences. Toward that, a suite of test and material characterizations were completed in this study on both glasses so to identify what differences exist among them. Compositional, physical properties, elastic properties, flat size distributions and concentrations, tensile/flexure strength, fracture toughness, spherical indentation and hardness, transmission electron microscopy, striae, high-pressure responses via diamond anvil cell testing, laser shock differences, and internal porosity were examined. Differences between these two float glasses were identified for many of these properties and characteristics, and the role of three (striae, high pressures where permanent densification can initiate, and submicrometer-sized porosity) lack understanding and deserve further attention. The contributing roles of any of those properties or characteristics to triaxial or ballistic loading responses are not definitive, however, they provide potential correlations that may lead to improved understanding and management of loading responses in glasses used in transparent protective systems.
