The effect of chemical treatment on the strength and transmittance of soda-lime cover glass for mobile

Most cracks in sheet glasses originate in edges and are a major cause of decreasing strength. Glass covers are being adopted in more mobile devices, especially smart phones, and are required to enhance reliability. In this study, micro-cracks in the chamfered edge of soda-lime cover glasses were eliminated by chemical polishing process with several etchants, and their mechanical properties and transmittance were measured. After ammonium fluoride and organic acid solution treatment, the transmittance of glass was not degraded and the strength was increased up to 20%. However, in the case of HF-based solutions, the strength of soda lime glasses increased but its transmittance decreased.