Foam Glass

foam glass, lightweight, opaque glass material having a closed-cell structure. It is made in molds that are packed with crushed or granulated glass mixed with a chemical agent such as carbon or limestone. At the temperature at which the glass grains become soft enough to cohere, the agent gives off a gas that is entrapped in the glass and forms the closed-cell structure that remains after cooling. Foam glass is light enough to float in water and has been used as a substitute for cork, but its main uses are for thermal and sound insulation. It is impervious to moisture, most fumes, and vermin.