Starphire® Glass is a trademarked low-iron soda-lime glass manufactured by Vitro® Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass). Containing less than one-tenth of the iron present in traditional float glass, Starphire glass maximizes visible light transmission (VLT) for an ultra-clear result and high color fidelity. Architectural glass is typically made from silica containing ferric oxide, an iron compound with a slight green tint. This emerald hue is most visible at the pane’s edges. However, Starphire glass has an azure-blue edge and a chroma-free face, displaying unadulterated whites, reds and yellows, even in thicknesses up to three-quarters of an inch.
Despite its increased transparency, Starphire’s mechanical and physical properties are indistinguishable from conventional architectural glass. Panes can be cut, edge polished, drilled, heat treated, toughened, bent, laminated, fritted for bird safety, coated, insulated, digitally printed, acid-etched, opacified, or glazed to suit a wide variety of specifications. It is used in both indoor and outdoor applications, such as commercial windows and curtainwalls, spandrel lites, balustrades, storefronts, lobbies, partitions, enclosures, safety barriers, retail displays, museum exhibits, furniture, aquariums or other treatments in which optics are prioritized. Low-iron branded glass alternatives include Pilkinton’s Optiwhite™ and Guardian Industries’ UltraClear™, among others.