Quartz Glass – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

Quartz glass—sometimes sold as “fused quartz” or “fused silica”—is a ultra-pure form of glass made by melting crystalline silica at extreme temperatures. In vaping it is prized for atomiser tubes, drip-tip sleeves, tank windows and coil-less bucket-style heaters because it stays crystal-clear under high heat, will not taint flavour, and resists thermal shock far better than regular borosilicate or soda-lime glass. Beginners can think of it as as the see-through armour that lets you watch your e-liquid while coping with the rapid temperature swings from Quality Control-tested Quick Charge batteries and red-hot Quad Core Coils.

Technical Details

Quartz glass transmits >90 % of visible light and remains inert up to about 1 200 °C, so it survives the radiant heat of a Coil“>Quad Coil build or a 200 W pulse on a PostDeck“>Quad Post Deck. Typical tank windows are 1.5–2.0 mm thick and have a linear thermal expansion coefficient of only 0.54 × 10⁻⁶ /K—about one-twentieth that of ordinary glass—meaning sudden juice or ambient temperature changes rarely cause cracking. Machined quartz is available in clear, frosted or coloured (ruby, sapphire, smoked) finishes and can be flame-polished for chip-free edges. Some manufacturers insert an internal quartz “chimney” inside metal tanks to create a non-reactive vapour path, while concentrate pens use 10–15 mm discs as coil-less heating surfaces for even vapour production.

Usage & Tips

• Installation: When fitting a quartz glass section, ensure all O-rings are seated flat; twisting while dry can pinch the glass and create star cracks.
• Cleaning: Rinse under warm water, then soak in cheap vodka or unflavoured PG to dissolve sweete-oil films; avoid salt-based ice-cold soaks—quartz is strong, but sudden 100 °C swings from a Quick Charge-fired deck to ice water can still fracture it.
• Common issue: Hair-line crack that slowly weeps juice? Replace immediately; micro-cracks weaken structural integrity and may shatter under vacuum when you screw the top cap.
• Safety: Never overtighten tank bands; metal-on-quartz pressure points are the #1 breakage cause. Carry a spare glass—quartz is tougher, not indestructible.

History & Context

Vaping began with plastic and standard glass tanks, but cloud chasing and high-nicotine salts demanded higher heat tolerance. Australian and U.S. boutique tank makers adopted laboratory-grade quartz glass around 2015 after vapers complained of “tank-crackers” (citrus & cinnamon) etching polycarbonate. Today, virtually every Sub-Ohm Tank”>sub-ohm tank ships with a quartz glass replacement tube, reflecting the industry’s shift toward purity, durability and premium Quality Control standards.