What processes can be used to enhance the strength and durability of Touchscreen Panel Glass?

Chemical tempering is one of the main methods to enhance the strength of Touchscreen Panel Glass. The principle is to replace the sodium ions on the surface of the glass with larger potassium ions through an ion exchange process, thereby forming a compressive stress layer on the surface. This process can significantly improve the impact and bending resistance of the glass, and the surface hardness can reach Mohs 6~7. The chemically tempered glass has better drop resistance than ordinary glass, and will form fine particles when it breaks, which is safer. This process is suitable for thin glass with a thickness of 0.3~3mm, and does not affect the light transmittance, so it is widely used in consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets and wearable devices.

Physical tempering is another method to enhance the strength of glass, which is suitable for thicker glass. The process is to heat the glass to near the softening point, and then quickly cool it through air to form a compressive stress layer on the surface and a tensile stress layer inside. The strength of physically tempered glass is 3 to 5 times that of ordinary glass, but because it forms large obtuse particles when it breaks, it is less safe, so it is not suitable for consumer electronic products, but is more used in scenes where thickness requirements are not strict, such as architectural glass or industrial equipment panels.

Anti-glare treatment reduces light reflection and glare by forming a micron-level rough structure on the glass surface. This treatment is usually achieved by chemical etching or spraying, which can significantly improve the visibility of glass in outdoor environments while reducing fingerprint residue. Anti-glare treatment can indirectly enhance the wear resistance of the glass surface and is often used in combination with chemical tempering processes to take into account both strength and functional requirements.

Anti-reflective coating reduces reflectivity by coating multiple layers of optical films on the glass surface. This process uses the principle of light interference to effectively reduce the interference of reflected light and increase light transmittance, up to more than 94%. The AR coating layer also has certain scratch resistance, but it usually needs to be used in conjunction with other strengthening processes to achieve the best overall performance.

Anti-fingerprint coating forms a nano-level protective layer by coating oleophobic and hydrophobic materials on the glass surface. This coating can significantly reduce the adhesion of fingerprints and oil stains, reduce the frequency of cleaning, and thus reduce surface wear. Anti-fingerprint coating is often used in combination with chemical tempering, AG or AR processes to further improve the overall durability and user experience of the glass.

The electroplating anti-reflection process deposits transparent conductive oxides on the surface of the glass to enhance conductivity while maintaining high transmittance. This process usually uses vacuum sputtering or coating technology, which can increase the transmittance to more than 94% without affecting touch sensitivity. The ITO layer has a certain hardness, which can help resist minor scratches and is suitable for high-demand touch display products.

Edge polishing and strengthening is a post-processing process for the edges of cut glass, which eliminates microcracks through fine grinding, polishing or chemical treatment. This process can reduce edge stress concentration and reduce the risk of edge collapse, thereby improving the overall structural stability of the glass. Edge strengthening is particularly suitable for special-shaped cut glass to ensure that it has higher reliability in practical applications.