Glass block walls can be a desirable way to maximize natural light exposure in a building, but their thermal properties do not allow for the best energy efficiency. Researchers at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology designed aerogel-filled glass bricks that are translucent as well as thermally insulating and strong.
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Deviations in the atomic structure of glass can significantly affect the material’s macroscopic properties, yet most studies to date do not account for these deviations. A recent review paper led by researchers at The Pennsylvania State University comprehensively reviews various experimental and computational techniques used to characterize and evaluate the effects of these deviations on commercially relevant glass-forming oxide systems.
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Advancements in glass processing and design have improved the material’s mechanical properties to the point that glass is starting to be used in load-bearing applications. In July 2023, the use of a novel glass court will debut on the world stage during the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
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The process by which a crystal nucleates and grows within a glass during heat treatments remains a conceptually ill-understood phenomenon. Researchers in Brazil developed a nuclear magnetic resonance strategy combined with atomistic computer simulations that allowed them to shed unprecedented light on the structural changes that take place in a glass during relaxation and crystal nucleation.
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Reliance on single-use packaging significantly contributes to plastic pollution. Chicago-based startup Kadeya designed a unique “closed-loop” water vending service based on reusable glass bottles that could help cut plastic waste in the vending sector.
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The International Year of Glass may be over, but the Age of Glass is just beginning. In homage to IYOG, an international group of researchers published an open-access review paper describing the past, present, and future of glass in the exciting field of photonics.
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While it is well known that packaging material can affect the flavor of food, the effect packaging has on milk has not been fully investigated. Researchers from North Carolina State University and Clemson University investigated the effect of packaging on both whole and skim milk.
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Femtosecond lasers have led to great advances in micromachining capabilities, including for glass technologies. Now, researchers in France demonstrated the potential of a modified femtosecond laser approach based on burst pulses to drill crack-free holes in glass.
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Current sintering methods used to obtain transparent ceramics face several challenges, including strict processing conditions and limited shape and size control. Researchers led by South China University of Technology presented a new general strategy for constructing dual-phase transparent ceramics from hybridized glasses that offers shape and size control as well as the potential for functionalization.
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About 120 people gathered in New York City for a debriefing of the International Year of Glass at the United Nations Headquarters in December 2022. This CTT summarizes what took place at the event, as well as highlights the “Seven Glass Wonders of the World” that were revealed at the IYOG Closing Ceremony in Japan.
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