It's likely that humans utilized bowls of water as crude mirrors after first noticing their own reflections in water. Polished stones like obsidian were used to create the first solid mirrors (Fig.1). When polished, obsidian, a volcanic glass, creates a good reflecting surface. In Anatolia (Turkey), examples of these mirrors have been discovered that date as far back as 6000 BC. There is proof that metal mirrors made of copper were in use in Mesopotamia, or modern-day Iraq, around 4000 BC. China began using bronze mirrors around 2000 BC.
It is thought that in the first century AD, in what is now Lebanon, the first metal-coated glass mirrors were created. Ideas inexorably spread from region to region as a result of international trade and warfare, thus it should come as no surprise that the Romans later invented a method for applying lead coating to blown glass. Glass was the material of choice for mirrors from this point on since it was reasonably priced, sturdy, pliable, and entirely clear.
Therefore, the foundation for the contemporary mirror had been found by the first century AD, but creating the mirrors required skill and a lot of time due to the expensive metal coatings. As a result, they continued to be expensive luxury goods that were out of reach for the general public. For the cost of mirrors to decrease
As early as 500 AD, mirrors were coated with silver-mercury amalgams in China. During the Renaissance, a better way to cover the glass was created in Europe. A silver-tin amalgam was utilized in this procedure. The exact evolution of this method is uncertain, but in the 16th century, Venice—which was already well-known for producing glass—became a hub for the mercury-coated mirror industry. Even now, the mirrors were pricey luxury possessions available only to the wealthy.
Thanks in great part to industrial espionage, the details of the mercury coating method eventually made their way throughout Europe! Mercury toxicity was an issue even though mirror production went industrialized and became much more economical. Justus von Liebig, a German chemist, created silvered glass in 1835. Here
Wet deposition of aluminum or silver is the primary method used to create modern mirrors. In order to get rid of pollutants and imperfections, the glass substrate must first be cleaned and polished. Tin chloride has to be the first of several coats applied to the glass since silver will not adhere to glass directly. Silver is subsequently applied to the glass, and to solidify the metals, a chemical activator is added. For durability, a coating of copper is applied. The mirror is painted to prevent damage to the metal coating, and then the manufacturing process is completed by heat treating and acid washing the mirror. The method is demonstrated in full in the video below.
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