What is one primary advantage of laminated glass?

In the context of laminated glass, the primary advantage is its increased safety attributed to the interlayer bonding. Laminated glass consists of two or more layers of glass that are bonded together with a polymer interlayer, typically made of polyvinyl butyral (PVB). This interlayer plays a crucial role in enhancing the glass's safety properties.

In the event of breakage, the interlayer holds the glass pieces together, significantly reducing the risk of injury from sharp shards. This characteristic makes laminated glass particularly valuable in applications where safety is paramount, such as in automobile windshields, skylights, and glass facades in buildings. The ability of laminated glass to remain intact helps to prevent accidents and enhances security by making it more difficult to penetrate, thereby deterring theft and vandalism.

Other options, while they might have some merit in different contexts, do not provide the same level of core safety benefits. For example, laminated glass does not inherently offer higher transparency than ordinary glass, nor does its strength derive from heat treatment like tempered glass. Cost comparisons also vary by application and market conditions, making the claim of being lower cost than tempered glass less reliable as a definitive advantage.