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Researcher develops glass antenna

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Researcher develops glass antenna

Researcher develops glass antenna

A researcher at the Utah State University has developed a transparent glass antenna. The antenna, developed by Dr. Reyhan Baktur is printed on glass and could replace the current heavy antennas used on satellites and other structures.

According to Dr. Baktur, an antenna could be printed on solar panels, which would allow sunlight to penetrate the antenna and reach the solar panel easily. That could be important for a space application because it could allow a device to have an antenna that doesn’t interfere with solar energy collection, and that reduces the overall weight of the device at the same time.

In addition, the transparent antenna can transmit data t a higher rate than conventional antennas. The project is still in development, but NASA will be reviewing the work and may apply the technology to an active mission in the future. The research that led to the development of the technology was partly funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA.

The printed antenna could be used in other applications that are closer to home. Baktur says that antennas could be printed on building windows, automobile glass and even clothing. In construction, printed antennas could be used to replace rooftop antennas. In automotive applications, printed antennas could assist in crash detection and other vehicle based telemetry.

The versatility of glass opens opportunities, not just for space-age applications, but also ordinary ones. Glass has been produced for thousands of years, but we’re just now examining the potential of glass.

Glass coatings extend the versatility of glass. For example, Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. It can be tinted to match the paint palette of any major paint manufacturer, and will not chip, fade or peel, even in direct sunlight. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. If you’d like to learn more about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Kordite, via Flickr.com

Did Portland glass factory pollute groundwater?

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Did Portland glass factory pollute groundwater?

Did Portland glass factory pollute groundwater?

Oregon state environmental regulators aren’t done looking at Bullseye Glass, the Portland glass factory at the center of an air quality issue in that city. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality now says that rainwater runoff from the factory’s roof may have deposited toxic heavy metals into the soil and groundwater near the furnace.

Investigators sampled the contents of dry wells on the company’s property and found some contaminants in concentrations as much as 33 times as high as federal limits for drinking water. While the runoff is not used for drinking, it does eventually filter into the groundwater, which may be used for drinking. Regulators are sampling the groundwater around the facility to test for the presence of heavy metals.

The roof runoff has been directed into the company’s dry wells for years, leading to the possibility of substantial contamination of the soil around the glass furnace. In addition to the toxic runoff, regulators also found about two feet of highly contaminated sediment at the bottom of the dry wells. Some of the concentrations of contaminants in the sediment were found to be thousands of times higher than the maximum allowable federal standards.

According to test results, the sediment in the dry well contained excessive levels of cadmium, lead, arsenic, hexavalent chromium and selenium. The dry well has been capped for some time, however the sediment in the well accumulated there over a period of more than 20 years. Bullseye Glass built the dry well in question in 1992, during an expansion of the company’s facilities.

The investigation was spurred by complaints that the glass furnace was improperly disposing of unwanted materials. Investigators found glass from the factory in manholes adjacent to the company’s property. The company was fined $600 and warned not to deposit any impermissible items in the city sewers. As part of the investigation, the city also looked at how materials, including rainwater runoff, are disposed of.

The company was also cited for faulty equipment cleaning practices that caused powdered glass fragments to be deposited on the company’s roof. Glass crushers were routinely cleaned out with compressed air, and the pulverized glass particles from the crushers was exhausted to the roof. The pulverized glass particles were then dispersed into the air, and washed off the roof into the sediment layer of the company’s dry wells.

Pending the outcome of the investigation, it is likely that Bullseye Glass will be required to develop a treatment plan for rainwater runoff that addresses the collection of heavy metals. The findings are significant because it is at least somewhat likely that other glass furnaces have contaminated soil around their facilities by improperly treating or discharging rainwater.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store.

Photo Credit: Pearl Pirie, via Flickr.com

China’s fascination with glass may have gone too far

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china-glass-bathrooms-300x225

China has been the site of many recent, high-profile glass attractions – bridges, walkouts, observation platforms and the like. The goal of these attractions are usually entertainment, but China may have taken its love affair with glass just one step too far.

Tourists at Shiyan Lake in the country’s Hunan Province can take full advantage of the park’s public restrooms, which are made entirely of glass, but at least on the facilities’ first day in action, most visitors chose not to.

The bathrooms are perched above the area’s spectacular forests, and feature glass-walled stalls and glass floors. The glass walls and stall doors are not heavily frosted, so it’s possible for other park visitors to see inside each cubicle, and there’s not much visual separation between the men’s and women’s restrooms. The floors in the treetop lavs are made from clear glass.

Most tourists have expressed a great deal of reservation about using the all-glass lavatories, and the concept gives new meaning to the French phrase, “natural break.” Nonetheless, some brave visitors have made good use of the treetop potties, while others have said that their need to go outweighed their need for privacy.

If you’re considering a frosted glass project, you might consider an alternative that produces similar results. Glassprimer™ glass paint offers a frosted finish on its paint that creates a frosted effect without the cost associated with frosted glass. And unlike frosted glass, which is created using a chemical or mechanical abrading process, Glassprimer™ glass paint comes in virtually any color. You don’t need to settle for traditional white, although virtually any shade of white is available!

Glassprimer™ glass paint provides excellent coverage for about $1 per square foot, which is less expensive than traditional frosted glass. In addition, Glassprimer™ glass paint bonds permanently with glass surfaces, so it won’t chip, fade or peel, even in direct sunlight.

For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: South China Morning Post

Shanghai researchers develop bone-repairing bioglass

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Shanghai researchers develop bone-repairing bioglass

Shanghai researchers develop bone-repairing bioglass

Researchers from the Shanghai Jiaotong University and the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology have developed a new bioglass compound to repair fractured bones. Using bioglass compounds to repair fractures isn’t new, but current bioglass mixtures are not very effective when working with major fractures and bone displacements.

The Shanghai researchers have combined mesoporous bioglass with a compound called C3S, one of the materials used in Portland cement. The resulting material is then used as a 3-D printing media to generate “scaffolds” that the body can use as a building block for new bone repairs. The bioglass eventually degrades, but not before it spurs the growth of new bone.

By itself, C3S doesn’t mesh very well with the growth rate of new bone in the body, which explains why it’s not very helpful in repairing major fractures. It also doesn’t work well with 3-D printing, because it sets very fast. To prevent curing, which limits its usefulness in bone repairs, the scientists added a binding agent to the C3S, and the mesoporous bioglass mixture. Following 3-D printing, the resulting “scaffolds” were cured in a water bath.

The hybrid scaffolds, which in some cases were mixed with stem cells, were better at supporting bone growth and created a variety of different cells within the new growth. The material has not yet been tried in human or living animal subjects, but has only been used in the lab. The results so far have been promising, but more work will need to be done before it can be tested on humans.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store

Photo Credit: John Lillis, via Flickr.com

Iconic Glass Structures – R&F Yingkai Square

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Iconic Glass Structures – R&F Yingkai Square

Iconic Glass Structures – R&F Yingkai Square

This week, we look at R&F Yingkai Square a newly constructed glass and steel tower in the Guangzhou Province in Zujiang. Its shifty shape is a visual treat because it’s a departure from the standard “four square” building. The tower is a mixed-use environment, and it’s nearly full.

The tower’s design is inspired by bamboo plants. It features asymmetrical “corners” that, when combined with the steel strips on the outside faces, make the building appear to move. The steel facing at the base gives way to glass at top of the building. The change in texture and the building’s faceted corners draw the eye ever upward, also lending to the notion of a building in motion.

The building tenants include the Park Hyatt Guangzhou on the upper floors, and a host of offices on the lower floors. The building also includes residential spaces. The tower extends 66 floors (nearly 1,000 feet) up and five floors below grade, and overlooks the Pearl River. Hotel guests can take advantage of spectacular views from the hotel’s infinity pool, and enjoy a meal in the hotel’s rooftop eatery and garden.

R&F Yingkai Square is currently the 9th tallest building in Guangzhou and the 49th tallest structure in China. It’s brand new construction, having been designed by Goettsch Partners of Chicago in 2008. Construction on the building was completed in 2014 and the building was formally opened earlier this year.

The building is owned by Guangzhou R&F Properties Co., Ltd., which also provided structural engineering services and was the primary contractor for the building’s construction.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store.

Photo Credit: 1st image via CTBUH

Tesla S Gets A Glass Roof

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Tesla S Gets A Glass Roof

Tesla S Gets A Glass Roof

Tesla Motors announced earlier this month that the Model S will come with an all-glass roof option. The new all-glass approach one-ups itself. Tesla had previously offered a panoramic sunroof that included a center cross member. The new all-glass sunroof can be yours (or anyone else’s) for about $2,000 extra per month on a buy, and about $24 per month on a lease.

The panoramic sunroof, which is currently still available, can be had for about $1,500 if you buy, $32 extra per month if you lease. The panoramic sunroof with the center cross member is required if you also want the roof rack and satellite radio.

If you’re worried that a glass roof will treat you like an ant under a magnifying glass on a sunny day, don’t. The glass roof (panoramic or otherwise), blocks about 98% of UV light and more than 80% of the heat that might otherwise be generated. In short, you won’t get roasted!

According to the car’s website, there is no sunshade available for the glass-roofed car (yet), but the car does have a built in “overheat” protection. Owners can also turn on the air conditioning in the car via a smartphone app before returning to the vehicle.

Earlier this year, Tesla announced the Model 3, which incorporates virtually uninterrupted glass from the windshield to the rear deck. While the Model 3 doesn’t use a single piece of glass, it does make heavy use of glass throughout the passenger cabin. The Model 3 isn’t even in production yet, and is unlikely to be consumer-ready before the end of 2017, but other manufacturers are taking note of consumer preferences for glass.

If you don’t think a car in the $75,000 – $100,000 range will work well for your wallet, Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Hyundai, Kia, Lincoln, Mini Cooper, Toyota and Volkswagen all have panoramic sunroof or moonroof options on some of their vehicles.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store

Photo Credit: Steve Jurvetson, via Flickr.com

Solar energy from ordinary windows?

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Solar energy from ordinary windows?

Solar energy from ordinary windows?

Developing clean energy sources is a major priority for environmentalists, and solar energy has emerged as a clean source with high potential. Solar energy is usually created in large scale “solar farms.” They are ground based arrays of solar collectors. While they generate a lot of clean energy, they also take up a lot of space.

In rural areas, space isn’t a major problem. In cities, there’s virtually no space available for solar energy production. Rooftop arrays are one possibility, but even then, many buildings don’t have enough space to host collector arrays.

Enter the researchers from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, who have developed a new glass coating that could turn ordinary windows into solar energy collectors. The new approach uses “quantum dots” that collect solar energy and then direct it to a separate solar cell. (Most solar collectors are self-contained units that have the collector and the solar cell in one package.)

The coated window acts as a concentrator for UV light energy. The quantum dots can be customized to accept certain light frequencies and reject others. A traditional solar cell has a life expectancy of about 20 years, whereas the quantum dot coating lasts only about 14 years. The coating is about 2% efficient and it’s very easy to apply to the glass surface.

Using various combinations of cadmium, selenium, zinc and sulfur, the researchers are able to create a collector that accepts only high-energy photons and allows them to migrate from the concentrator to the edge of the glass. The migrating photon is captured and directed to a solar cell.

The researchers believe that the coating is very stable, and could even be removed and reused in a remanufacturing process. The coating is not ready to move into production. It’s efficiency level is still too low to make commercialization worthwhile, however, the researchers believe that by tweaking the coating formula, they can increase the efficiency of the coating to make it economically viable.

Low cost photovoltaics may allow significant energy production from existing glass surfaces in urban areas. While this coating is applied in the manufacturing stage, it’s possible that a method could be devised for applying the coating to glass that’s already in place.

Reducing the need for additional energy production could help in the fight against global warming, reduce operating costs and make energy more widely available in urban areas.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store

Photo Credit: David Strom, via Flickr.com

How to recycle dead glass solar panels

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How to recycle dead glass solar panels

How to recycle dead glass solar panels

The move toward solar energy as a “clean” source of electricity is definitely underway. Solar energy is more attractive in some areas than in others, but the growing population of solar panels is raising questions about what happens when a solar panel dies?

The life expectancy of a solar panel is somewhere in the 20-30 year range. Japan alone expects to retire somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 million old solar panels annually by 2040. That’s the equivalent of more than 100,000 solar panels each day. The logistics of disposal at that volume require some thought, so Japan is making plans to do just that!

The contemporary solar panel is a five-layered affair, with glass being on top. Recycling glass isn’t much of a trick; glass is used and reused regularly. The glass in a solar panel isn’t contaminated, so recycling the glass is comparatively easy.

The second and fourth layers of a solar cell consists of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), which surround the third layer – the actual solar cell. The EVA is laminated to the solar cell using heat, which sticks the solar-and-EVA-sandwich to the glass top layer. The fifth layer is the backing. Once all of the components are layered together, they’re stored in an aluminum frame. Add some wires and other minor components and you have a basic solar cell.

Because the EVA is stuck to the glass, the recycling process needs to include a method for freeing the glass. Not surprisingly, the “unsticking” process involves heat. The dead solar cell is heated to about 400° F, which softens the EVA layer enough to release the glass with a little mechanical help.

The goal is to recycle at least 80% of the country’s retired solar cells. What happens to the other 20%? The hope is that they can be pressed into service again in areas that receive significant sun exposure. The efficiency of a solar cell degrades over time. After 20 years in service, the average solar cell can generate only 80% of the electricity that a new cell does. While that could make a cell’s value questionable in some parts of the world, an older solar cell could continue working effectively in areas that receive a lot of sunlight.

Additional work needs to be done to improve testing of old solar cells. Improved testing will make it easier to determine which cells should be broken down and which ones can be reassigned. The work to dismantle, recycle and reuse solar cells that’s being done today will reap significant rewards in the next 20—30 years, not just for Japan but for countries worldwide.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store.

Photo Credit: coniferconifer, via Flickr.com

Battle of the backsplashes: Glass v. stone

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Battle of the backsplashes: Glass v. stone

Battle of the backsplashes: Glass v. stone

Decorators are always on the prowl for new materials. Glass and stone have emerged as popular materials for certain applications. Many homeowners are finding new ways to incorporate glass and stone into their homes. These two heavyweights have staked out their territories in the kitchen and bath. It raises the question of which material is better for home decorating?

Glass has its advantages

Glass is the ultimate team player. It lends a high-end look to just about any room, and it oozes practicality. It’s easy to clean, comes in a variety of thicknesses, and can be tempered to add strength. Glass is so versatile that it can be used on the walls, floors, countertops, cabinet fronts, doors and just about any other space.

Glass is valued for its transparency, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spruce it up with a little color. Glassprimer™ glass paint is formulated especially for use on glass surfaces. The paint bonds permanently to the glass surface, and won’t chip, peel or fade, even in direct sunlight. You can cover glass surfaces for about $1 per square foot.

You can apply glass in custom-cut sheets, tiles or even in cement/epoxy composites and get the benefit of glass. While custom tile glass backsplashes can be expensive, you can create a cost-effective backsplash by backpainting glass and attaching it to walls with silicone adhesive in kitchens and bathrooms.

Natural stone backsplashes and other surfaces can also be cost-effective, but natural stones are porous. They may be vulnerable to damage from some household cleaners. To maintain sanitation, the stone surfaces will need to be sealed periodically – perhaps as frequently as once per year. Since glass is impervious, no sealing is needed, and glass can tolerate prolonged contact with virtually all household cleaners and sanitizers.

Natural stone surfaces can (and do) degrade over time. Their natural colors may change due to exposure to cleaning chemicals, and they can detach or become dislodged from the mortar. In addition, natural stones can break following an impact. A broken stone will need to be replaced, and that can be a complicated repair!

If you’d like more information about using glass in your kitchen or bathroom, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: jason mcarthur, via Flickr.com

Glass pennies?! Lost glass penny rediscovered

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Glass pennies?! Lost glass penny rediscovered

Glass pennies?! Lost glass penny rediscovered

During World War II, the United States government was looking for ways to reduce the copper content of pennies, in order to make more copper available for the war effort. Copper was a rationed item, and in 1942, the War Production Board refused to allocate any copper to the US Mint for penny production for 1943.

That sent the US Mint looking for potential substitute materials. The Mint conducted its own experiments with metals and alloys, but also invited private companies to submit prospective replacements for the copper penny made from plastics and alternative materials. As part of the invitation, the Mint loaned specially crafted dies that were to be used by participating companies to produce the samples. The sample dies contained an impression of Liberty and the date for the obverse side, and a wreath with the words “United States Mint” on the reverse side.

The Blue Ridge Glass Company acquired a set of the dies and produced a very limited number of glass samples, using penny-sized tempered blanks created by Corning. The experiment didn’t work very well. To make a glass penny, both the die and the blank had to be heated to just below the melting point of glass. They weren’t able to heat the die properly, and they were only able to achieve soft detail on the glass blanks. In addition, the resulting glass “pennies” had a large number of surface imperfections.

The Blue Ridge Glass Company prepared a report for the US Mint, and that was the end of the glass penny. Only one known example of a glass penny existed, and it was broken in half. Recently, a second example, which is intact, was discovered and graded by the Professional Coin Grading Service. The intact example, which is owned by a private collector, is a virtually identical match to the known, broken coin.

Even without its obvious production flaws, the glass penny likely never would have made it to the production stage. The dimensions and weight of each penny could not be standardized, meaning that each penny would have been slightly different – a violation of the US Mint’s uniformity standards.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store.

Photo Credit: Professional Coin Grading Service