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Bio glass might help regrow cartilage

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Bio glass might help regrow cartilage

Bio glass might help regrow cartilage

The passage of time and injuries can take their toll on the cartilage in the human skeleton. The body’s capacity to repair itself is well known, but certain tissues don’t self-repair very well or very easily. Cartilage – that flexible, semi-rigid tissue that cushions joints, and gives noses and ears their distinctive shapes – is among those tissues that don’t really regrow. Bio glass developed by scientists at the Imperial College London and the University of Milan Bicocca may change that.

Bio glass could revolutionize joint replacement

The bio glass material acts like cartilage in load-bearing joints in the body, including the knees and spine. It offers the potential to help people who have lost cartilage due to injury or illness, and could help patients avoid having spinal fusion surgery. Spinal fusion is a typical treatment for people who have experienced the degradation or destruction of cartilage between vertebrae. The loss of cartilage causes significant pain, but spinal fusion reduces the patient’s ability to move freely.

The bio glass material, which is a combination of silica and a polymer called polycaprolactone. The compound is exceptionally interesting because it can be made into a biodegradable ink, which could permit 3-D printing of replacement cartilage. The substance can also be used to create a structure that encourages the growth of natural cartilage. It is resilient and shows some ability to “self-heal.”

The ultimate goal for bio glass is to develop a formulation that has the same mechanical properties as natural cartilage, but does not require any additional supportive structure. This would allow the bio glass to be implanted easily in a joint during reconstruction.

Bio glass isn’t new. The initial formulation was developed in then 1960’s as a way to help heal badly damaged bones. The new material is a reformulation of the initial substance, and is designed for both strength and flexibility. Don’t look for the new material just yet, however.

Scientists still need to refine their manufacturing techniques, test the material in humans, and develop ways to implant the material safely. They estimate that the treatment could be perfected and approved for use in about a decade.

While you may have to wait until 2026 for a replacement knee, you can get Glassprimer™ glass paint right now. Glassprimer™ glass paint is an industry leading product formulated especially to bond permanently to glass. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be tinted to match the palette of any major paint manufacturer. 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: Jerry Edmunson, via Flickr.com

Oregon still wrestles with art glass question

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Oregon still wrestles with art glass question

Oregon still wrestles with art glass question

The State of Oregon is nearing a decision on final rules for the production of colored art glass. The state’s major producers came under closer scrutiny after regulators discovered higher-than-acceptable emissions of toxic metals from their operations.

Art glass producers under regulatory microscope

The state’s largest producers of colored glass and colored glass supplies have installed filters to capture chromium, arsenic, cadmium and other toxic heavy metals. Smaller producers are asking the State of Oregon to exempt them from the filtration requirements. They’re seeking to apply regulations only to producers that generate more than 10 tons of colored glass per year.

The State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has been monitoring the companies’ reduced emissions since it put temporary restrictions in place earlier this year. According to the state, its testing revealed that even at the reduced production levels, processed chromium still poses a major problem.

Glass producers melt trivalent chromium in a furnace as part of the colored glass making process. By itself, trivalent chromium does not pose a significant health hazard. After smelting, however, chromium that isn’t trapped the glass emerges as hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen. Even worse, according to the state, the filtration systems currently in use by the glass manufacturers capture only two-thirds of the carcinogenic chromium emissions. The rest is released into the surrounding air.

The DEQ has temporarily prohibited the glassmakers from using any chromium in their glassmaking processes. Chromium is a standard additive in making green glass. It can also be used to make black glass. Chromium is also mixed with other metals, including tin oxide and arsenic, to make emerald green.

The problem isn’t a small one, and it isn’t limited strictly to artistic glass. Green glass is commonly used in food containers. While ordinary soda lime glass has a greenish tint, that coloration comes from iron oxide. Darker green containers – such as those used for storing wine and oil – would also be affected by the ban.

Arsenic, when combined with other metal oxides, is used to create imitation porcelain. Cadmium, which is toxic by itself, is used to create intense yellow glass and various glazes. When it is combined with other additives, like sulphur and selenium, it produces deep colors that range from orange to red.

The question of emissions in Oregon has spurred a larger debate, and has prompted the US EPA to examine glass factory emissions more closely. Glassprimer™ glass paint offers an option for creating colored glass. Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specially engineered glass coating that is applied directly to the glass surface. It can be tinted to match the paint palette of any major paint manufacturer and makes a permanent bond to the glass surface. Once cured, it will not chip, fade or peel, and performs well, even in harsh environments.

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: Nancy McClure, via FreeImages.com

Metallic glass increases light transmission

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Metallic glass increases light transmission

Metallic glass increases light transmission

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have created metal-coated glass that increases light transmission by as much as 10% compared to traditional window glass. Although glass is transparent, metallic inclusions allow more light to flow through the treated glass.

Metallic glass means conductive glass

In addition to increasing light transmission, the metallic inclusions also make the glass conductive. Ordinary glass is not just non-conductive; it’s used as an insulator in a variety of applications. Making glass conductive opens up some new possibilities for energy conservation, including the creation of “programmable” windows that can either reflect or absorb heat, based on the needs of the occupants.

Using windows to control heat gain or loss is especially interesting in Canada, where 70% of the country’s energy usage is devoted to maintaining the temperature in buildings. The experimental glass was created using a vacuum deposition technique, and added a metallic layer just a few nanometers thick.

You can use Glassprimer™ glass paint to help control heat gain and loss in building interiors. Ordinary glass allows UV-radiation to pass through it virtually unimpeded. In the winter, any additional heat is welcome, but often the angle of the winter sun doesn’t lend itself to heat gain via glass. On the other hand, you can also use coatings on the glass to help retain heat during the winter.

Glassprimer™ glass paint allows natural light to penetrate the glass, but provides exceptional UV resistance. Glass coated with Glassprimer™ glass paint will resist solar heat gain, and can also help prevent heat loss at night and during the winter months.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is economical as well. You can apply Glassprimer™ glass paint and achieve complete coverage for a cost of about $1.00 per square foot. Because Glassprimer™ glass paint makes a permanent bond with the glass, it will not chip, fade or delaminate, even in direct sunlight.

No one knows how well “smart” windows will work, or even if they’re practical, but we do know that Glassprimer™ glass paint offers a practical, affordable solution for limiting heat gain and loss. 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: Drew Mackie, via Flickr.com

Wired Glass: Safe or not?

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Wired Glass: Safe or not?

Wired Glass: Safe or not?

You’ve seen wired glass. It’s used in doors and windows, and has an open wire mesh built into it. Many people assume that it’s safety glass, but it’s not. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, traditional wired glass doesn’t meet the organization’s glass safety impact standard.

Wired glass isn’t safety glass

In the late 1970’s, the CPSC determined that wired glass posed a serious danger and imposed size restrictions on its use. The size restrictions recognized that the glass had a very limited ability to survive impact stresses. The glass, which is weaker than safety glass, wasn’t banned outright because at the time the rule was made, wired glass was the only fire-rated glass product on the market. Because of this, wired glass was granted a compliance exemption for impact strength, specifically for academic and athletic applications.

By the early 2000’s, new safety glass had become widely available, and traditional wired glass lost its impact strength exemption. Any replacement glass in these locations had to meet the new strength requirements, and glass used in athletic environments had to meet an even more stringent safety standard. Traditional wired glass can be used as door lights, as long as it does not exceed the maximum size limits allowed by the CPSC standard.

The debate about wired glass is not about its relative safety in a fire. Wired glass – especially traditional wired glass – is weaker than regular glass and was installed liberally in schools, largely for its fire rating. Unfortunately, wired glass is responsible for more than 2,500 injuries annually in schools alone. Most injuries occur when a child accidentally impacts the window and the glass breaks.

School building codes do not permit the installation of traditional wired glass in certain areas, and limits the permissible size of wired glass windows in other locations. At the same time, building codes do not require the glass to be removed, either. Generally speaking, insurers and building inspectors recommend that wired glass be removed from areas where impacts are possible or likely.

Alternatives to wired glass exist, including a wired glass that incorporates a safety film. The film improves the impact resistance of glass and reduces the potential for serious injury in the event of a catastrophic impact. Other fire rated options that are more aesthetically pleasing are also available.

At GlassPaint.com, we can’t offer an improved safety rating, but we can definitely improve the aesthetics of glass. Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially engineered to bond to the surface of glass. Once cured, Glassprimer™ glass paint is permanent, and resists UV light damage, chipping, peeling and fading. We can also match any palette from any major paint manufacturer. 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: Frank Servayge , via Flickr.com

The perfect beer glass?

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The Perfect Beer Glass?

The Perfect Beer Glass?

Cobra, a brand owned by brewer Molson Coors, says it has invented the “perfect beer glass.” The glass was the result of a collaboration among specialists at Birmingham University and Imperial College in London, along with Karmarama, a London-based advertising agency. Designers specializing in hydrodynamics and fluid dynamics worked together to develop the glass, which holds a pint of beer.

Beer glass was designed to improve taste, aroma and appearance

The “toughened” glass features a channel built into the interior surface, which guides the beer to the bottom of the glass. The channel wraps around the glass in a helical shape, creating a “whirlpool” effect inside the glass while the beer is being poured. The channel has a specific purpose; the agency claims that the channel releases aroma and flavor, and leaves the beer with a perfect head when the pour is finished.

Molson Coors is betting on the glassware to open the bar doors to Cobra, which has yet to develop a strong following among consumers during its 17 year history despite the brew’s accumulation of awards. Molson Coors is the world’s seventh largest brewer worldwide, but its Cobra beer is currently available only in the UK. Although the beer is made in Britain, it has its roots in India. The regional nature of consumer tastes in beer may explain why Cobra is still working toward broader brand recognition.

As a beer aficionado, you won’t get the intended benefits of the Perfect Beer Glass by pouring from a bottle. The interior channel in the glass is intended to be used with a special tap available only to commercial drinking establishments. In addition, the angle of the glass at the time of the pour factors into the “perfectness” of the result, and is also accounted for in the dispensing system.

Whether the perfect beer glass is hype or not remains to be seen, but Glassprimer™ has long recognized the specialized nature of glass. Our products are designed to take advantage of the special properties of glass, and to enhance their presence in both interior and exterior applications. If you’d like some glass inspiration, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Molson Coors/Cobra

Scientists develop glass genome

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Scientists develop glass genome

Scientists develop glass genome

Researchers at Aalborg University and Corning have devised a way to determine what effect additives will have on glass without actually making the glass. Glassmakers have known for thousands of years that additives to the glass formula produce glass with different characteristics. The process of developing new glass “recipes” is always conducted on a trial-and-error basis.

Process will shorten glass development cycle
The resulting glass is then tested to determine what properties it possesses as a result of changes to the glass formula. With thousands of possible combinations, finding glass with specific properties is almost a random event. In addition, it is difficult to know how additives will affect the strength, density and melting point of the glass.

The researchers combined a number of computer models to determine what they’ve called the “genome” of glass. The models allow the researchers to create virtual combinations of materials, and accurately predict the physical properties of the resulting glass. The models speed the process of creating new glass mixtures, and allow the researchers to design glass formulas that will produce specific properties. The process has already been used to create damage-resistant glass.

The approach is important not only because it can predict the end-result of glass formulas, but also it can predict the manufacturing characteristics of the glass, like a particular formula’s viscosity and melting point. The ability to predict both the manufacturing requirements and the resulting product can help scientists develop “designer” glass for specific applications more quickly and with fewer surprises.

While much is already understood about glass, this represents a major advance in material development, and promises to lead to exciting advancements in glass manufacturing.
Glassprimer™ glass paint also represents a significant advance in glass coating. Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially formulated to make a permanent bond with any glass surface. Glassprimer™ glass paint can also bond permanently to other surfaces, like Plexiglas™, stone and masonry.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is easy to work with and cleans up with ordinary solvents. We also offer a water-based formulation. Both formulations are low-odor, low VOC mixtures and can be safely used in both interior and exterior applications.
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: Alexey Kljatov, via FreeImages.com

Google Glass may have night vision

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Google Glass may have night vision

Google Glass may have night vision

Google Glass debuted in 2013 as an experimental product. Google glass offered a head-mounted display and delivered information in a hands-free format. The product was put on the market in mid-2014, and almost immediately became a focus of concern for safety advocates and legislators alike. By January 2015, Google announced that it was pulling Glass off the market, but that it would continue to develop the product behind closed doors.

Google Glass has new life in medicine

Recently, Google applied for a new patent related to Google glass. The patent application indicates that Google intends to add night vision to the erstwhile product at some point. The application confirms that development on Google Glass continues. Despite the fact that it’s not available on the open market right now, the world hasn’t forgotten about Google Glass and its potential applications.

Despite its shortcomings “in the wild,” Google Glass is earning high marks in the Emergency Room. Doctors at the University of Massachusetts Medical School use Google Glass to communicate with other doctors both inside the medical complex and elsewhere. Using Google Glass has significantly increased the doctors’ confidence in their diagnoses, partially because they can consult with other specialists, and partly because they can bring information into the diagnostic process more efficiently. The School also had to make some investments into the devices to make them HIPAA compliant.

Emergency room physicians aren’t the only ones who have incorporated Google Glass into their environment. Plastic surgeons at Georgetown University Hospital are also using Google Glass during cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedures, with positive results.

Google Glass has also found a following among clinicians who work with autistic children. Google Glass is used to help affected children “read” the faces of those around them. Autistic individuals often have difficulty interpreting the facial expressions of others. Facial recognition software, written by researchers at Stanford University, helps autistic children associate emotions with common facial expressions. The goal of the Stanford program is to assist autistic individuals in becoming more socially engaged.

Glassprimer™ glass paint isn’t used in medical research – at least not that we know of – but it can help you incorporate outstanding color and UV protection into your interior and exterior decorating projects. Glassprimer™ glass paint is a cost-effective, durable coating for glass surfaces, and can create a frosted effect for about $1 per square foot. If you’d like more information about Google Glass, you’re going to have to wait – it’s not currently available. If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. Best of all, Glassprimer™ is available right now at our online store .

Photo Credit: CyberHades, via FreeImages.com

Turtle Beach Debuts Glass Directional Speakers

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Turtle Beach Debuts Directional Glass Speakers

Turtle Beach Debuts Directional Glass Speakers

Turtle Beach, a manufacturer best known for gaming headsets, announced last month that it had developed directional speakers made from transparent glass. The company predicts that the glass speakers could be incorporated into desktop monitors and speakers, automobiles, and display equipment. According to Turtle Beach, the directional speakers could be used to enhance safety in automobiles by directing audible warnings directly at the driver.

Glass speakers can be incorporated into mobile devices

The new glass speakers generate a highly focused audio beam to listeners in a specific location. The company says that the technology, known as HyperSound, is similar to touchscreen glass, which incorporates multiple layers and electronic controls and sensors. HyperSound speakers feature a transparent film layered on top of thin glass, which facilitates a directable ultrasound beam.

The technology operates on low voltage, which makes it ideal for mobile and other low-power applications. Speaker panel size can be adapted to the application, meaning that the speakers can be incorporated into devices of various size.

Transparent glass speakers have a number of important commercial applications, too. Their specialty is creating a highly directional, focused beam of sound that remains clear over long distances. Because the beam is focused, applications can deliver sound to one person without disturbing others. This technology could be used to deliver information in a retail setting or a gallery. Directional audio could also be used to deliver warnings and advice. Turtle Beach envisions applications that include banking, entertainment, food service, health and fitness, hospitality, museums, retail, theme parks and trade shows.

According to the company, the glass speakers are already being tested in two different environments. Build-A-Bear Workshop is testing the HyperSound technology in its stores to provide audio at different workstations within the store. Turtle Beach also says that McDonald’s is conducting a pilot test of the technology in some of its restaurant to provide television audio at dining tables, which allows guests to watch video feeds at their tables without disturbing other diners in the area.

Glassprimer™ glass paint won’t provide directional sound, but it does offer an impressive array of color designed to be applied directly to glass surfaces. If you’re looking for design inspiration from glass, please view the rest of our website. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Turtle Beach

Smart glass may spur market

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Smart glass may spur market

Smart glass may spur market

If you’ve sat in the sun inside a building, you know that full sun can heat up a building quickly. That accumulated heat, along with blinding glare, can make some spaces virtually unusable at certain times of the day. Smart glass proposes to change all of that.

Smart glass can reduce energy consumption

Smart glass is self-tinting glass that changes to increase reflectivity when the Sun is at its worst. Self-tinting glass isn’t new. It’s been used for years in small applications. New manufacturing technologies have vastly increased the size of smart glass panels, opening the glass up as an option for use in building construction.

Smart glass can be installed to reduce glare and minimize temperature increases inside a building. In addition, smart glass is active, so it changes its tint based on the solar conditions. Other options, like low-e glass do not change to meet conditions. Smart glass can reduce or eliminate the need for exterior shutters, shades and awnings to control sunlight entering the building.

So far, smart glass has found its greatest appeal in commercial buildings like hospitals, universities and office buildings. Analysts believe that the market for architectural smart glass will double or perhaps triple between 2014 and 2020. The glass is exceptionally interesting for construction applications. The Department of Energy estimates that buildings that use smart glass could reduce their energy consumption by nearly half, and lower their peak electricity demand by one-sixth.

With the glass, operating costs aren’t the only thing that could shrink. Buildings could use smaller HVAC systems, which would lower construction costs, mortgage costs and the cost of rent. The availability of smart glass could also have an impact on productivity. Studies have shown that virtually all workers perform better when they have a view of the outside.

Even though the windows offer superior energy efficiency, initial cost is still a barrier to more widespread adoption. The glass costs about $100 per square foot, but when compared to both its energy-saving potential, and the need to dress ordinary glass with curtains, shutters or blinds, the cost-benefit analysis often works in favor of smart glass.

Glassprimer™ glass paint offers a cost-effective, UV-resistant option to create opaque or translucent glass, at about $1.00 per square foot. Glassprimer™ glass paint comes in a wide variety of colors, and can be color-matched to any major paint manufacturer’s paint palette. It bonds permanently with the glass and will not peel, fade or chip.

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 .

Wendy Lefkowich, via Flickr.com

Chinese researchers develop UV-absorbing glass

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Chinese researchers develop UV-absorbing glass

Chinese researchers develop UV-absorbing glass

The damaging potential of UV-light is well know. UV light is the culprit behind sunburns, faded colors and material deterioration. A group of researchers in China may have discovered a glass-based compound that absorbs UV light before it can do damage. The UV-absorbing glass could be useful in space exploration, and preservation.

UV-absorbing compound could be used in glass, polymers

The glass compound is made from glass ceramics combined with cerium-IV oxide. Cerium-IV oxide naturally absorbs UV light. By combining it with transparent glass, the scientists were able to make UV-absorbing shields that can protect biological tissues as well as sensitive electronics that would otherwise be damaged by exposure to UV radiation.

The material can be produced in bulk form or as a film, making it suitable as a thin, long-lasting shield. In space, a radiation-absorbing coating could increase the functional lifetime of sensitive electronic equipment. Closer to home, the coating could help reduce tissue damage from UV light, and could also help preserve cultural artifacts or historically significant relics. The compound can also be combined with polymers to give them UV-blocking capabilities.

The scientists have not determined how long the UV-absorbing coating could last, but they intend to continue working on developing additional materials with UV-reducing properties.

Glassprimer™ glass paint offers exceptional UV-resistance, which makes it suitable for use in areas that receive significant sunlight exposure. Glassprimer™ glass paint will not fade, peel or chip when applied according to manufacturer instructions. Glassprimer™ is warranted for interior use, however the paint can be applied to exterior surfaces, and will offer exceptional performance, even in high-UV conditions.

Glassprimer™ glass paint comes in a wide range of colors, and can be matched to the paint palette of virtually any paint manufacturer. This allows you to match household paints with Glassprimer™ glass paint without worrying about issues with color-matching.

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: Csaba Szabo, via FreeImages.com