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According to How Stuff Works, bulletproof glass is in fact a strip of tough polycarbonate material surrounded by two layers of regular glass. An incoming bullet shatters the outlying layer of glass, but is stopped by the material in the center. The polycarbonate material, which is actually a tough transparent plastic, is manufactured under brand names like Lexan, Tuffak, or Cyrolon. Lexan is also commonly used in NASCAR windshields and driver helmets. The polycarbonate laminate is designed to spread the force of the bullet laterally across the entire window. Similarly, bulletproof
vests use multiple layers of synthetic fibers to dissipate the force of a fired bullet. Many security firms also offer one-way bulletproof glass -- this lets the person being shot at return fire.
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