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Secret of metallic glasses revealed

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Secret of metallic glasses revealed

Secret of metallic glasses revealed

Researchers at the University of Bristol say they have confirmed a long-standing theory about how metallic glasses form. Metallic glasses are prized substances because they’re harder and stronger than regular glass. They’re also much rarer than some would like, partially because we don’t have a good understanding of how metallic glasses actually form.

Since the 1950’s, a popular theory (developed by a physicist at the University of Bristol) regarding the way metallic glass forms has held among scientists. That theory says that if the metallic components organize in a pentagram shape, they can stop the crystallization of the glass particles, which is the key to metallic glass formation.

Ordinary glass naturally has faults between grains, which permits microfractures and makes it inherently weak. Metallic glass has no naturally occurring faults between grains, which makes it inherently strong. While that sounds good, the theory been impossible to confirm because scientists haven’t been able to prove without a doubt that the prevention of crystallization yields metallic glass formation.

Now, researchers have been able to use a computer simulation to reveal the mechanism by which the 5-sided metallic formation inhibits crystal formation. By changing the energy demands made on microcrystals at the surface, the rate of crystallization is slowed, allowing the metallic components to form a strong, 5-sided structure that allows glass to take on the strength and hardness characteristics of metal.

The confirmation of the theory about how metallic glass forms opens up new opportunities to make new metallic glass mixtures with potentially novel characteristics. It also points to the versatility and the growing importance of glass in a variety of applications.

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: Chris Dlugosz, via Flickr.com

Iconic Glass Structures – Lipstick Building

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Iconic Glass Structures – Lipstick Building

Iconic Glass Structures – Lipstick Building

New York City is known for its skyscrapers, but one of its most iconic buildings really isn’t that tall. Standing in at a relatively modest 34 floors is Manhattan’s 53rd at Third Building, known more informally as the Lipstick Building. Located at 885 3rd Avenue, the building is a steel, granite and glass structure that was completed in 1986.

Designed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee, the building earned its nickname based on its stacked, rounded shape and red color, which are reminiscent of a tube of lipstick. The building’s unusual rounded shape takes up less space than a traditional square footprint. Additionally, the rounded base, along with support columns, provide additional pedestrian space in a tightly packed urban landscape.

The building is “stacked” in four sections to allow sunlight to penetrate to the lower floors. Unlike contemporary buildings, that are made predominantly from steel and glass, the building features ribbon windows and bright red, enamelized steel that coils around the building.

One of the building’s most famous tenants was none other than Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, which occupied floors 17, 18 and 19. Although the firm leased three floors, Madoff’s $65 million fraudulent Ponzi scheme was run exclusively from the 17th floor – a space that was occupied by about two dozen of Madoff’s closest employees.

The building’s designers, John Burgee and Philip Johnson occupied the building for about five years, beginning in 1986. Their partnership split apart in 1991, and Johnson elected to occupy a different space in the building. The building has changed ownership a number of times since it opened. In 2010, the building was foreclosed on by the Royal Bank of Canada after the owner at the time – Metropolitan 885 LLC – defaulted on a $210 million loan.

Earlier this year, the ground underneath the building was sold for nearly a half-billion dollars. While this arrangement sounds like a little bit of real estate intrigue, the building’s operator had an option to buy the land under the building at certain prescribed points in the lease. The building operator still maintains the option to buy the land and can exercise it once every 10 years, beginning in 2020, the owner of the land has changed. If the operator does not elect to buy the land, the land owner can renegotiate the lease rates for the building.

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: Demitri Parides, via Flickr.com

Thin film eliminates condensation on glass

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Thin film eliminates condensation on glass

Thin film eliminates condensation on glass

Condensation – that thin film of water that collects on glass – causes more problems than one might think of. Condensation occurs when warmer, humid air comes in contact with a cold surface. Water in the air condenses and collects on the cold surface, causing the cold surface to “fog.” If the cold surface is a window, the window is obscured.

You can see condensation at work in the supermarket when you open the door of a refrigerated case. Warm air from outside the case rushes in and quickly fogs the glass, making it difficult to see inside the case once you close the door. Refrigerated cases have built in heaters that evaporate condensation off of the interior glass surface. Having a heater inside a refrigerator is a little counterintuitive. It’s also expensive.

By itself, refrigeration is expensive. Currently, the typical household refrigerator consumes more energy over the course of a year than any other electrical appliance. People spend more on refrigeration than they spend on heat! Commercial refrigerators are even more expensive, so adding heat to the refrigerator in order to combat condensation simply increases the cost of refrigeration.

By eliminating condensation inside the refrigerator quickly and without added heat, retailers can reduce the cost of refrigeration. What’s the secret? A super-hydrophobic thin-film acetate coating applied to the interior glass surface repels water so it drains away immediately, without the need for heaters inside the refrigerator case.

According to the manufacturer, retailers could save about $85 per year per standard refrigerator case. At that level, the film could pay for itself through reduced energy consumption in less than 2.5 years.

Coatings can allow glass to do some pretty amazing things! For example, Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specially engineered glass coating that creates a permanent bond with glass surfaces. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be tinted to match any major paint manufacturer’s paint palette. That means you can easily incorporate painted glass into any decorating scheme. Whether your project is completely interior, completely exterior or a bit of both, Glassprimer™ glass paint offers exceptional durability, UV resistance and versatility.

If you’d like 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: Martin and Jessica O’Brien, via Flickr.com

Glass could contain radioactive waste

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Glass could contain radioactive waste

Glass could contain radioactive waste

Researchers at Rutgers have determined that certain radioactive isotopes could safely be encased in glass for long-term storage. The scientists were working with iodine-129, which is particularly persistent. By encasing the iodine in ceramics and glass, they were able to isolate the dangerous element, store it at room temperature and store it indefinitely.

Without containment, iodine-129 disperses easily into the air and water. In humans, iodine-129 can easily damage sensitive organs and tissues, and is known to cause cancer. Iodine-129 has a half-life of nearly 16 million years, which means, practically speaking, that it will never achieve a human-safe state.

The US Department of Energy was one of the primary funding sources for the research. The DOE hopes to use the findings to address the broader issue of radioactive waste containment and disposal. Although the Rutgers research has concentrated on radioactive iodine, the method may be useful in encapsulating other forms of radioactive waste, including spent fuel rods from nuclear power plants. Currently, spent fuel rods are stored in place at nuclear power plants. Being able to dispose of the exhausted rods safely could make nuclear power more attractive.

Glass is an exceptionally versatile material, and because it is inert, it can perform in a wide number of applications. Glass can be used in containers, and as a surface for either countertops or walls.

Using specialized coatings like Glassprimer™ glass paint, glass can also be painted virtually any color. Backpainted glass can serve in virtually any environment. By applying paint directly to plain glass or tempered glass, you can liven up any room. It offers complete stain resistance, durability and cleans (and sanitizes) easily using ordinary household cleaners.

Best of all, Glassprimer™ glass paint is cost effective. You can achieve your desired coverage for about $1 per square foot.

If you’d like 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: Albert Kruger/U.S. Department of Energy

Samsung goes for super water repellent glass

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Samsung goes for super water repellent glass

Samsung goes for super water repellent glass

Samsung Electronics has licensed some new water-repelling technology developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The technology will help Samsung’s electronic devices repel surface water easily.

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) spent about three years developing the specialized coating, which repels water, dirt, oil and dust. It also reduces glare and resists both smudges and fingerprints. The coating consists of a thin film layer of porous glass that manipulates the contact angle of liquids and small solids like dust.

The coating was developed by depositing a thin glass film on top of glass, and heating it. Selective etching was then used to make a 3-dimensional surface that resembles coral under a microscope. The dimensional surface enables both the water repellence and the anti-glare properties.

The technology can be used to give other types of glass the same properties. It can be used on solar panels, windows, lenses and other applications. Although Samsung is the exclusive licensee for the technology for certain applications, the technology can still be licensed for use on solar panels and windows by other parties. The coating technology was recognized with an R & D 100 award in 2015.

Many advances in the field of glass coating are allowing glass to perform like it never has before. Nanoscale changes t the glass surface allow glass to take on characteristics not normally attributed to glass. Glassprimer™ glass paint is a good example of a novel glass coating technique.

Glassprimer™ glass paint makes a permanent bond with the glass surface that enables paint to adhere permanently to glass. This allows the paint to perform well even under difficult circumstances, including varying temperatures, high humidity and direct sunlight.

Glassprimer™ glass paint can also be tinted to match the paint palette of any major paint manufacturer. That allows you to incorporate Glassprimer™ glass paint seamlessly into any decorating plan.

If you’d like 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: Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Glass: More than just a pretty façade

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Glass: More than just a pretty façade

Glass: More than just a pretty façade

There are a number of reasons to incorporate glass into your decorating plans. Glass has a lot going for it! Here are a few reasons to consider going with glass.

Transparency can do a lot to improve the appearance of a space. Going transparent fools the eye into believing that a space is larger than it is. The transparency of a material allows the viewer to “look through” a space. Objects are still objects, but you can reclaim the space (at least vicariously) that a transparent object takes up. Glass tables, walls, desks and other see-through items can really expand a space.

Glass allows the transmission of natural light. The human body literally craves natural light. Natural light helps regulate a person’s “body clock,” which is so important to health and well-being. Exposure to natural light helps regulate the body’s wake and sleep cycles, and the production of key hormones, chemicals and vitamins the body needs to stay healthy.

Another key benefit of glass in an interior design scheme is the regulation of sound. As it turns out, glass is a much better sound insulator than other common building materials. Wood, for example, is used commonly in both residential and commercial buildings. It’s used in structural components, walls, floors and doors. But wood isn’t a particularly good sound insulator. Sound penetrates wood relatively easily, which means that buildings require additional insulators to help dampen sound.

Controlling sound is important, whether you’re working with a residential or commercial space. While wood can reduce sound vibrations by something in the range of 15dB-20dB, a material like glass can reduce it by as much as 40dB – 45dB. That’s a huge difference!

Ironically, in a commercial space, glass provides better sound privacy than wood or drywall does. You can use specially formulated acoustical drywall, or add acoustic insulation, but that can add significant cost to a project, and may not produce measurably better results.

With a specialty paint like Glassprimer™ glass paint, you can also paint glass to change its appearance without changing its sound-cancelling properties. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be tinted to match virtually any major paint manufacturer’s paint palette, so you can safely and accurately incorporate it into your decorating plan.

If you’d like 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: Camelia TWU, via Flickr.com

CRT Glass Recycling Gets a Boost

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CRT Glass Recycling Gets a Boost

CRT Glass Recycling Gets a Boost

California Governor Jerry Brown signed new legislation into law today that allows glass recyclers in California to recycle glass from old cathode ray tubes (CRT). CRTs represent an older design approach to computer and television monitors. Under existing laws, the glass tubes were not eligible to be fully recycled. Instead, the old glass tubes could be used to make new glass CRTs. They could also be smelted or committed to landfills.

The restrictions on CRT recycling were put into place largely because CRTs typically contain varying amounts of lead. Only one manufacturer in the world still produces CRTs, and it’s unclear how much longer that company, which is located in India, will continue to produce CRTs. The lack of a marketplace for old CRTs has led to the significant stockpiling of old CRTs, as well as direct disposal into landfills. Authorities in California estimate that the state’s waste haulers and recyclers currently have about 17 million pounds of CRT glass in storage.

Under the new legislation, the glass can be recycled into additional non-harmful uses, including glass tiles and radiation-shielding glass. CRT glass may only be recycled into applications where no known harm exists. The legislation also authorizes state agencies to approve new end-use products that meet the legislative intent, as well as to prohibit current and previously permitted uses for CRT glass that are later discovered to be harmful.

California’s goal in passing the glass recycling legislation is to open up new markets for stockpiled, recyclable glass that will reduce the need to create new materials, or extract new raw materials.

Glass is infinitely recyclable, but glass is typically sorted prior to recycling, based upon its previous use. Container glass can be remade into new containers. Tempered glass and heat strengthened glass is also recyclable, but cannot be combined with ordinary glass during recycling. Colored glass and “contaminated” glass – including glasses that contain lead, chromium and other heavy metals – are also technically recyclable, but because of their heavy metal content, they’re typically discarded.

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: Nayuki, via Flickr.com

Window glass could improve mobile signals

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Window glass could improve mobile signals

Window glass could improve mobile signals

A window glass developed by researchers at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) improves energy efficiency and readily admits mobile telephone signals. The glass, which is intended for use in passenger trains, is being installed in some train cars operated by BLS AG, a Swiss railway operator.

The high metal content of rail cars tends to frustrate cellular signals, making both phone and Internet connectivity difficult. Train windows are typically designed to help insulate the passenger compartment. Heating and cooling for the passenger compartments consume as much as one third of the energy used by a train during travel. Windows represent a significant source of energy loss. To combat this, train cars use double-pane windows coated with a very thin metallic coating. That increases the insulation and reduces energy losses.

The metallic coating on the window glass significantly diminishes a mobile device’s ability to detect and connect to available cellular networks. Train companies accommodate the signal degradation by installing and maintaining boosters and on-board network services. The specially designed mobile access equipment is expensive to maintain and must be replaced regularly to keep pace with improvements in telecommunications networks.

Researchers at EPFL suspected that by modifying the metallic coating between window panes, they could reflect heat waves that would otherwise make the cars uncomfortably warm while admitting telecommunications signals. By laser-scribing the metallic coating to remove a small amount of it, the researchers were able to admit cellular signals without compromising the energy-efficiency of the windows.

Full-sized prototype windows were created and tested under operating conditions. Researchers confirmed that cellular signals were able to pass through the prototype glass as easily as they pass through ordinary glass. The glass will reduce operating costs by eliminating the need for repeater equipment on trains.

In addition, the technique could be modified to allow the coating to be frequency-selective. This could allow the coating to be used on buildings to block outside Wi-Fi signals while still admitting other kinds of services.

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: Sarah Bickie, via Flickr.com

Iconic Glass Structures – Old Port Footbridge

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Iconic Glass Structures – Old Port Footbridge

Iconic Glass Structures – Old Port Footbridge

Normally, we think of buildings when we look at iconic glass structures. Today, we go a little off the beaten path, and with good reason. The Old Port Footbridge in Bremerhaven, Bremen Germany connects the Klimahaus and the Columbus Center in one of the oldest sections of this northern port city. The bridge, which is made primarily of glass, traverses the River Weser.

Because of its strategic location, Bremerhaven has long played an important role in both Germany’s military and maritime trade history. Although much of the surrounding city was destroyed during World War II, the port was largely spared because of its strategic value to Allied forces. In 2016, Bremerhaven is a key player in container shipping, and in fact, it is the 16th-largest container port in the world, and the fourth-largest in Europe, handling millions of containers from all over the world.

The area also pays homage to its maritime history. The city hosts several museum ships from various points in history. The oldest example dates back to the late 14th century and was excavated from the city in 1962. The city also hosts museum ships from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, as well as a World War II vintage U-boat. The city also hosts the Lloyd-Werft shipyard, which specializes in building and refurbishing ultra-large cruise ships.

The Old Port Footbridge connects the Columbus Center (a massive shopping mall) with the Klimahaus exhibition center, which was opened in 2009, the same year the bridge was put into service. The bridge itself can be swung to a 90° angle to permit maritime traffic to pass. This doesn’t regularly occur, but since the area hosts several museum ships, some of which still operate, the bridge needs to be able to move to allow the ships to pass. The middle section of the bridge is designed to be mobile.

The bridge consists of 336 individually crafted glass panels, which are specially designed and placed to minimize heat gain inside the tunnel. In addition, operable windows at the top of the bridge provide additional ventilation.
A cement sidewalk is found in the center of the path. Both sides of the path are surrounded by glass flooring, which is safe to walk on. The glass floor is laminated with a special slip-resistant screen printing, and is lit from below at night.

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: Herr Olsen , via Flickr.com

Schott Award Recognizes Glass Researchers

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Schott Award Recognizes Glass Researchers

Schott Award Recognizes Glass Researchers

The 14th annual Otto Schott Research Award, given to glass and glass ceramics researchers, has been awarded to three researchers for their groundbreaking research on glass strength. Dr. Sheldon Wiederhorn (National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD); Professor Satoshi Yoshida (University of Shiga Perfecture, Hikone, Japan); and Dr. Jean-Pierre Guin from the Université de Rennes, France are the 2016 award recipients. Their discoveries may eventually lead to the creation of unbreakable glass.

Although the researchers work in three different countries and for three different institutions, they collaborate to share their research discoveries. Wiederhorn’s research focuses on the tensile strength of glass, and microscopic cracks that naturally occur in glass. Satoshi’s research examines the elastic behavior of glass surfaces when they encounter mechanical stress. Guin researches the growth of cracks in glass at the nanoscale level, as well as fatigue thresholds, and properties like hardness, toughness and scratch resistance.

The award, which is given by the Ernst Abbe Fund, seeks to maximize the potential of glass and improve its strength. To improve the overall performance of glass, the Abbe Fund supports basic research and technological improvements related to glass and glass ceramicsIndividuals and small research teams are eligible for the award, and are selected from candidates worldwide who engage in qualifying glass application research in healthcare, telecommunications, optics, renewable energy and other similar fields.

Significant work has been done at the nanoscale level to take advantage of the properties of glass. For example, Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially engineered to create nanoscale bonds with glass surfaces. By modifying the glass surface, Glassprimer™ glass paint adheres permanently to the glass surface. In addition to offering a permanent coating, Glassprimer™ glass paint offers superior UV resistance. Glassprimer™ glass paint won’t chip, fade or peel, even in direct sunlight.

UV resistance is an important benefit. Beyond preserving the appearance of the coating, Glassprimer™ glass paint’s superior resistance allows you to control the amount of UV radiation that penetrates a glass surface. Controlling UV radiation is key to achieving energy conservation in spaces that make heavy use of exterior-facing glass.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our website. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Ryan McGilchrist , via Flickr.com