Mar. 17, 2025
Glass is highly common in pharmaceutical packaging. The many glass types offer an abundance of benefits, which are essential for the longevity, concentration, and safety of what is stored inside.
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They are ideal for packaging solutions as they are easy to sterilise, great for protecting the contents from ultraviolet rays, do not react with chemicals inside, and are often transparent so that you can easily see what's inside.
Although all types of glass can offer the above benefits, it is important to be aware that there are various types of glasses and all offer different properties, prices, use, manufacturing, and availability. Continue reading to learn more about the types of glasses, what they offer, how they are used, and more.
Glass vials, jars and bottles for pharmaceutical practices are created using various methods. The most common include:
All methods are tested before use to ensure that the glass container is safe and effective for pharmaceutical use.
Type I glass consists of various elements, all of which are great at resisting chemicals of strong acids and alkalis.
It is made up of 80% silica, 10% boric oxide, and small quantities of both sodium oxide and aluminium oxide. All Type I glass containers are suitable for both parenteral preparations (such as vaccines, antibiotics and anaesthetics) and non-parenteral preparations (such as creams, lotions and wellbeing products).
Type II glass bottles are very similar to Type III glass, so much so that they are considered modified Type III glass bottles.
Like Type I and Type III glass, Type II has a high hydrolytic resistance, which makes it highly resistant to hot water. This makes it suitable for resisting reactions and helps the contents remain in their original state.
The difference between Type II and Type III glass bottles is that the inside of Type II bottles is treated with sulphur.
The difference between Type II and Type I glass containers is that Type II glass has a lower melting point. Type I glass is great at protecting the contents from weathering. However, Type II glass is much easier to mould yet less likely to withstand hot environments.
The easy-to-mould glass makes it suitable for storing neutral aqueous and acidic chemicals.
Type III glass is roughly comprised of just under 75% silica, 15% sodium oxide, and 10% calcium oxide, respectively. The remaining percentage consists of small amounts of magnesium, potassium, and aluminium oxides. These small quantities help the glass become more versatile. The aluminium oxide benefits the glass as it improves its chemical durability. Meanwhile, magnesium oxide helps the glass to mould more easily at lower temperatures.
Type III glasses are much more versatile and can be used in parenteral and non-parenteral practices. They are also suitable for storing aqueous solutions.
Although the types of glass boast similarities, such as being made up of similar materials and being suitable for similar preparations, there are some key differences:
The manufacturing process of the glass types varies depending on the industry. The manufacturing processes of glass containers are listed above.
Type III glass is the most affordable, and Type I glass is the most expensive. Type III glass is more readily available because Type I glass needs extra manufacturing to be more durable and resistant. Type II glass costs a little more than Type III glass because it requires a sulphur treatment (and sometimes dye) to help it resist UV rays.
The most common glass is Type III, which accounts for 90% of glass production worldwide and is much more readily available.
For more information, please visit pharmaceutical glass bottles.
With a sulphur treatment on the inside, Type III glass transforms into Type II glass, which can also be readily available.
Type I is less available due to its sophisticated manufacturing process, which makes it more durable.
Type III glass is the most common packaging solution for pharmaceutical glass bottle packaging and everyday household containers. It is often referred to as soda-lime-silica glass and makes up 90% of the world's glass containers.
Type II is less chemically stable and is, therefore, less common than Type III glass. It is ideal for chemicals that can react to light in pharmaceutical preparations as Type II glass is often dyed. The colour of the glass packaging can block UV rays and therefore protect the contents from the reaction.
Type I glass is more common for pharmaceutical glass vials, as it provides greater heat and chemical resistance, which makes it more reliable and safer. Type I glass is often referred to as borosilicate glass and is used for heat products, such as light bulbs, fire glass, storing jet fuel, and acid.
Overall, there are plenty of options to choose from for pharmaceutical packaging solutions. Type I glass is highly recommended for practices and preparations requiring more durable and resistant packaging. It can resist heat, thermal shock, and chemicals, making it much safer and ensures that the contents will not be affected. For those seeking more affordable and less durable packaging, Type III and Type II glass are ideal and practical.
You can find a whole selection of quality glass bottles, vials and jars available at Origin today. With glass dropper bottles, glass jars, and more options available, you can find the most suitable packaging for your organisation from our range. If you'd like to find out more about the types of glass, you can read our pharma packaging blogs for further insight.
The packaging of a pharmaceutical or nutraceutical formula is a major step in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The choice of materials for pharmaceutical packaging is crucial to ensure the protection and effectiveness of active ingredients throughout the product's lifecycle.
Thanks to its unique qualities, glass has established itself as a reference in regard to pharmaceutical material: chemical inertia, thermal resistance, and a barrier against external agents. However, there are different qualities of pharmaceutical glass, each with its characteristics and uses.
In this article, we examine two types of pharmaceutical glass used in pharmaceutical packaging: Type I glass and Type III glass.
Type I pharmaceutical glass (also known as neutral glass or borosilicate glass) is made from a mixture of silica, boron, alkali oxides, and alumina.
This composition gives it superior chemical and thermal properties, making it suitable for the highest demands of the pharmaceutical industry.
There are two manufacturing processes for this type of glass: molded glass and drawn glass.
Type I glass is characterised by:
Widely favored for the production of dietary supplements and liquid pharmaceutical products, double-ended glass ampoules must provide safe, durable, and protective packaging. Therefore, the choice of glass type is a key quality consideration:
For its double-tip glass ampoules, SFAM uses the patented FIOLAX® (Type I) and ILLAX® (Type III) glass, developed by the global leader Schott.
Beyond this strategic choice, SFAM's double-tip glass ampoules also stand out for their pre-scoring and DRB. Based on a patented process, the Double Ring Break (DRB), this exclusive feature ensures easy and clean opening, free of glass particles. A guarantee of high safety for the consumer.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of plastic caps for blood collection tubes. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
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