Matte Etching Borosilicate Glass: Borosilicate Glass (CTE 3.3 x 10^-6 /K, 360 nm – 2.0 um); gloss 60 – 110 GU, haze 2 – 25%. Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
matte etching borosilicate glass is acid-etched anti-glare texture applied by controlled HF immersion. On Borosilicate Glass it anti-glare diffusion without coating adhesion risk – the specification we run to is gloss 60 – 110 GU, haze 2 – 25%.
Specifications at a glance
| Material | Borosilicate Glass (3.3 expansion group per ISO 3585) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 3.3 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 450 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 360 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.23 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 480 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.473 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.50 – 30 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 600 x 400 mm |
| Treatment | Matte Etching – acid-etched anti-glare texture |
| Specification | gloss 60 – 110 GU, haze 2 – 25% |
| Deposition / method | controlled HF immersion |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Capabilities and limits
One material, many routes: on Borosilicate Glass we also quote double-side polishing, etching, ultrasonic machining, lapping, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Design guidance
Before sending the RFQ, check these against your drawing:
- Material note: sheet stock carries more thickness variation than float wafer stock, so lapping is often the first step.
- Sequence matters: all machining happens before matte etching; post-coating rework is not economical.
- Over-specification is the quiet budget killer: a 20/10 scratch-dig face costs roughly three times an 80/50 face, so grade each surface individually.
The full rules live in our tolerance design guide and holes and edges design guide.
Where these parts end up
matte etching borosilicate glass shows up across medical diagnostics (flow cells, slides, microplate bottoms, cuvette windows); scientific instruments (reference flats, cells, prism mounts, stage inserts); laboratory instruments (cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows). Background reading on the underlying material science: ISO 3585 borosilicate glass 3.3.
The fastest route to a quote is geometry: use the 3D builder below, draw a dimensioned 2D drawing from it, or open the site-wide custom glass machining 3D + 2D builder for fully custom parts.
Related reading on this site: glass sandblasting, material selection guide, glass-bottom microplates.
Common questions
How does Borosilicate Glass behave under heat?
CTE is 3.3 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 450 C continuous, which is what drives its use where chemical durability matters.
What does matte etching add?
Anti-glare diffusion without coating adhesion risk. Applied by controlled HF immersion to gloss 60 – 110 GU, haze 2 – 25%.
Is there a minimum order for matte etching borosilicate glass?
No. Single prototypes are accepted, and pricing steps down at 10, 100 and 1,000 pieces.
How fast can prototypes ship?
Machined prototypes ship in 5 – 10 working days. Coated or bonded parts add 1 – 2 weeks depending on queue slots.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in August 2026.