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Gorilla Glass vs Soda-Lime

Glass · grade comparison

Gorilla Glass and Soda-Lime are both glass grades, both display glass. Gorilla Glass is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 350 MPa (50.8 ksi) against 40 MPa (5.8 ksi) for Soda-Lime, about 8.8 times as much. Gorilla Glass is harder — 620 HV against 550 HV for Soda-Lime — which matters for wear surfaces and threads. Gorilla Glass is lighter (2.42 g/cm³ vs 2.5 g/cm³ for Soda-Lime) and Gorilla Glass runs hotter in service (200°C vs 110°C continuous).

Gorilla GlassChoose it when strength drives the design, or when surface hardness matters.

Gorilla Glass vs Soda-Lime: properties

Gorilla GlassSoda-Lime

Mechanical

Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.

Poisson's Ratio

0.21
0.23

Tensile Strength (Ultimate)

350 MPa50.8 ksi
40 MPa5.8 ksi

Compressive Strength

1,000 MPa145 ksi
900 MPa131 ksi

Flexural Strength

800 MPa116 ksi
45 MPa6.5 ksi

Hardness, Vickers

620 HV
550 HV

Hardness, Knoop

590 HK
490 HK

Hardness, Mohs

6.5
5.5

Shear Strength

—
40 MPa5.8 ksi

Same in both: Elastic (Young's) Modulus 72 GPa10.4 Msi · Shear Modulus 29.5 GPa4.3 Msi · Bulk Modulus 42 GPa6.1 Msi · Elongation at Break 0% · Fracture Toughness (K_IC) 0.75 MPa·√m0.68 ksi·√in

Physical

Density and transition temperatures.

Density

2.42 g/cm³0.09 lb/in³
2.5 g/cm³0.09 lb/in³

Refractive Index

1.5
1.52

Light Transmission

92%
90%

Melting Point (Solidus)

—
726°C1,339 °F

Same in both: Porosity 0%

Thermal

How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.

Specific Heat Capacity

820 J/kg·K0.2 BTU/lb·°F
840 J/kg·K0.2 BTU/lb·°F

Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)

7.9 µm/m·K4.4 µin/in·°F
9 µm/m·K5 µin/in·°F

Max Service Temperature (continuous)

200°C392 °F
110°C230 °F

Same in both: Thermal Conductivity 1 W/m·K0.58 BTU/hr·ft·°F · Min Service Temperature -100°C-148 °F

Electrical

Conductivity and insulation.

Electrical Resistivity

1×10¹² Ω·m3.94×10¹⁹ µΩ·in
1×10¹¹ Ω·m3.94×10¹⁸ µΩ·in

Dielectric Strength

15 kV/mm381 V/mil
13 kV/mm330 V/mil

Dielectric Constant (1 MHz)

7.2
7.3

Dissipation Factor (1 MHz)

0.011
0.009

Volume Resistivity

1×10¹⁴ Ω·cm
1×10¹³ Ω·cm

Chemical & Environmental

Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).

Corrosion Resistance

90 / 100
80 / 100

Manufacturability

FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.

Machinability

5 / 100
12 / 100

Sintering / Firing Temperature

—
1,550°C2,822 °F

Same in both: Polishability 95 / 100

Sustainability

Primary-production footprint per kilogram.

Embodied Energy (primary production)

35 MJ/kg15,047 BTU/lb
15 MJ/kg6,449 BTU/lb

Embodied Carbon (primary production)

2.6 kg CO₂/kg
1.3 kg CO₂/kg

Embodied Water

25 L/kg3 gal/lb
14 L/kg1.7 gal/lb

Typical Recycled Content

3%
25%

Common Calculations

Ratios derived from the values above.

Specific Strength (UTS / density)

145 kN·m/kg
16 kN·m/kg

Specific Stiffness (E / density)

29.8 MN·m/kg
28.8 MN·m/kg

Thermal Shock Resistance Index

1
0

Same in both: Thermal Diffusivity 0.5 mm²/s

Strength versus weight

Yield strength against density for every glass grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.

501002005002.533.5Density (g/cm³)Yield strength (MPa) — log scaleSoda-LimeGorilla Glass

Manufacturing and finishing

CapabilityGorilla GlassSoda-Lime
Default conditionChem StrengthenedAnnealed Glass
Relative cost$$ Standard$$ Standard
Min. machined wall——
Best machined surface——

Gorilla Glass vs Soda-Lime — frequently asked

Is Gorilla Glass stronger than Soda-Lime?

Yes. Gorilla Glass has a typical tensile strength of 350 MPa (50.8 ksi) against 40 MPa (5.8 ksi) for Soda-Lime — about 8.8 times as much.

Which is cheaper, Gorilla Glass or Soda-Lime?

Both sit in the same relative cost tier ($$, standard); the part price will be decided by machining time, tolerance and quantity rather than by the material.

Which is easier to machine, Gorilla Glass or Soda-Lime?

Soda-Lime, by a small margin. Both rate not recommended for machinability — 12/100 against 5/100 for Gorilla Glass.

Ready to make it?

Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Gorilla Glass and Soda-Lime side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.

Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.