Glass

Harnessing nature for nano design—glass-coated DNA scaffolds demonstrate potential as lightweight and high-strength materials

By Lisa McDonald / September 29, 2023

In recent decades, researchers have explored using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a scaffold for programmable nanostructures. Now, researchers at Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, and Brookhaven National Laboratory collaborated to show that glass-coated DNA scaffolds have potential as lightweight and high-strength materials.

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Integrating orthopedic implants—several strategies improve adhesion strength of bioactive glass coatings

By Lisa McDonald / September 22, 2023

Bioactive glass offers numerous benefits as a coating material for metallic implants, but achieving strong adhesion between the glass and implant is a challenge. University of Barcelona researchers explored several strategies for improving the adhesion strength of bioactive glass coatings deposited using atmospheric plasma spraying.

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Protecting solar panels from hail—the thicker the glass, the better

By Guest Contributor / September 12, 2023

The increasing frequency and severity of hailstorms puts solar panels at risk of damage. Researchers in India and Hong Kong explored the role that front glass thickness plays in improving the hail resistance of solar panels.

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Video: Movies in glass—the LIFETILES of Rufus Butler Seder

By Lisa McDonald / August 30, 2023

Lenticular printing, or a method to produce printed images that change or move depending on viewing angle, typically uses plastic as the medium. Artist Rufus Butler Seder developed a way to create glass-based lenticular images, and his murals appear in public places around the world.

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Video: Augmented reality device offers real-time subtitles during everyday conversations

By Lisa McDonald / August 9, 2023

The expansion of real-time translation apps is bringing the benefits of subtitles to real-life conversations. In February 2023, the integration of these apps into everyday dialogue took a step forward with the beta release of a new product called TranscribeGlass, which attaches to your glasses and projects real-time captions in front of your eyes.

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Gaining a second wind—recycled automotive glass hits the road again in new windshields

By Guest Contributor / August 4, 2023

Car windows that are damaged beyond repair have to date been reused for less demanding purposes, such as bottles or insulation. A pilot project led by the Audi Group showed defective car glass can be recycled successfully back into new windshields, and the company plans to shift this glass into standard production starting September 2023.

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Unveiling the hidden role of intermediate oxides in glass: Spectroscopic data combined with computational modeling provides new insights

By Lisa McDonald / August 1, 2023

The effect niobium oxide has on the macroscopic properties of glass is reasonably well-known, but its specific structural role in glass remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, researchers from the Center for Research, Technology, and Education in Vitreous Materials in Brazil combined spectroscopic data on niobium-containing silicate glasses with advanced computational modeling.

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The science of Elemental—tempered glass and causes of failure

By Lisa McDonald / July 7, 2023

In the new movie Elemental, the fire character Ember uses tempered glass to patch a hole in the canal wall. But could glass be used in real life to hold back flood water? Today’s CTT considers this question and what could cause tempered glass to fail.

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Glass & Optical Materials Division meets in the Crescent City

By Eileen De Guire / June 13, 2023

The Glass & Optical Materials Division Annual Meeting took place June 4–8, 2023, in New Orleans. Organized by Walter Kob (University of Montpellier) and Qiang Fu (Corning Inc.), the conference welcomed just over 300 people, with about 40% of the attendees from outside the U.S.

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Retiring the Kauzmann paradox—a call to focus future glass research elsewhere

By Lisa McDonald / June 13, 2023

Initially proposed as a simple pondering by a U.S. chemist in the 1940s, the controversial Kauzmann paradox has inspired hundreds of follow-up papers in a variety of scientific disciplines. Now, researchers in the U.S. and Brazil led by ACerS Fellows Edgar D. Zanotto and John C. Mauro argue it may be best to focus future glass research elsewhere.

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