Borosilicate glass
Borosilicate glass is a particular type of glass, better known under the brand names Pyrex and Kimax. It was first developed by German glassmaker Otto Schott in the late 19th century and sold under the brand name "Duran" in 1893. After Corning Glass Works developed Pyrex in 1924, it became a synonym for borosilicate glass in the English-speaking world.
In addition to the quartz, sodium carbonate, and calcium carbonate traditionally used in glassmaking, boron is used in the manufacture of borosilicate glass. Though somewhat more difficult to make than traditional glass (Corning conducted a major revamp of their operations to make it), it is economical to produce because its superior durability, chemical and heat resistance finds excellent use in chemical laboratory equipment, cookware, and in certain cases, windows.
Borosilicate glass has a very low thermal expansion coefficient, making it a popular material for objects like telescope mirrors, where it is essential to have very little deviation in shape. It is also used in the processing of high-level nuclear waste, where the waste is immobilised in the glass through a process known as vitrification.
Further development in glassmaking continues to create new glass-ceramics that outperform borosilicate glass in various ways.