A type of glass containing silica and boron oxide, highly resistant to heat and chemical damage, commonly used in laboratory equipment and kitchenware.
From 'boro-' (boron) + 'silicate' (from silicon dioxide). Borosilicate glass was commercialized in 1893 by the Schott company and revolutionized laboratory work because it resisted thermal shock.
Borosilicate glass is why you can take a hot dish out of the oven and put it on a cold counter without it shattering—the boron atoms change how the glass network bonds, making it expand and contract way less than regular glass.
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