Although sapphire glass has many advantages, it also has some drawbacks that may limit its use in certain applications, including:

1. Cost

The process of synthesizing sapphire crystals is complex and time-consuming, involving control of high temperatures, specialized equipment, and conditions, which increases production costs. Therefore, sapphire glass is often more expensive than traditional glass or other transparent materials, making it less cost-effective in certain applications.

2. The fragile nature

Although sapphire glass is hard, it is relatively brittle compared to other materials such as tempered glass. Under certain conditions, it is prone to rupture or breakage, especially when subjected to significant impact or pressure. This brittleness makes it more susceptible to damage in applications involving high impact or mechanical stress.

3. Processing difficulties

Sapphire is a crystalline material that is more difficult to process than other materials and requires specialized cutting, grinding, and polishing techniques, which can be more time-consuming and expensive. In addition, it is difficult to bond or connect, which may limit its use in certain applications that require bonding or sealing.

4. Limited size and thickness

Due to the challenges faced by large and thick sapphire crystals, sapphire sizes and thicknesses are relatively limited, typically having smaller sizes and thinner thicknesses than traditional glass, which may not be suitable for certain applications that require larger or thicker glass components.

5. Weight

Sapphire glass is denser than traditional glass, which means it may be heavier for a given size and thickness. This may be a disadvantage in weight sensitive applications where weight needs to be considered or when designing lightweight equipment.

6. Energy intensive production

The production of sapphire crystals requires high temperature and energy intensive processes, which result in higher energy consumption and environmental impact compared to other materials.

7. Reflectance without anti reflection (AR) coating

Sapphire glass has a relatively high refractive index, and without appropriate anti reflective (AR) coatings, it may produce significant reflections on its surface. This may cause reflection or glare in certain applications, such as displays or optical lenses, and may require additional anti reflective films to alleviate this issue.

Although sapphire glass has many advantages, it also has some disadvantages, including high cost, fragility, difficult processing, limited size and thickness, weight, more energy consuming production process, and reflectivity without anti reflective film. When evaluating the applicability to specific applications, it may be necessary to consider these limitations and assess them based on the requirements and limitations of the application.