How a Local Discovery Powers Tudor Glass Today

Who knew that John William Strutt 3rd Baron Rayleigh of Terling in Essex would be so closely connected with our manufacture of Sealed Units at Tudor Glass also in Essex.

We have a lot to thank this local man for. John Strutt was an English physicist born in Maldon in Essex, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1904 for his investigations into the densities and properties of important gases.

His meticulous research led to a groundbreaking moment in 1892 when he noticed something odd while isolating nitrogen. No matter how he produced it, the nitrogen he obtained was always just a little lighter than the nitrogen found in ordinary air.

That tiny discrepancy led him to discover a previously unknown, heavier inert gas—Argon.

Why Argon Matters to Us Today

Argon gas might be invisible and inert, but its impact is anything but. This colourless, non-flammable gas has low thermal conductivity, which means it slows the transfer of heat.

That’s exactly why Argon is now widely used in sealed glazing units—like the ones we manufacture at Tudor Glass every single day.

By filling the space between the panes of double- or triple-glazed glass with Argon (instead of just dry air), we dramatically reduce heat loss. This helps homeowners achieve better U-values—a crucial measure of thermal efficiency for windows, doors, and other building elements.

Lower U-values mean better insulation, lower energy bills, and more sustainable living.