Dichroic glass is a type of glass created in the 1990s using the space-age technology known as ‘thin film physics. Dichroic which means “two colours” is a particular kind of glass that has the unusual property of reflecting one colour while it transmits another. This means that the different colours can be viewed by examining the glass at different angles.
The unique glass is manufactured by spraying a thin chemical film on the glass. This must be done in a controlled environment in a vacuum chamber, making dichroic glass one of the most expensive glasses made. Because of this expense, dichroic glass is more commonly used in jewellery and similar items or as an accent in larger-scale fusing projects.
The coating on dichroic glass can be fragile and is easily scratched before firing, but it resists the heat of the kiln well. After firing, the dichroic coating is fairly stable.
Dichroic glass which is available in a range of colour combinations, textures, and patterns, must not be left in water for long periods of time or the coating may soak off.
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