NSF Award
0340733
0340733<br/>Misture<br/>This award supports Scott Misture, Christopher Sinton, and a student from Alfred University in a collaboration with Joachim Deubener and Lothar Wondraczek of the Institute for Non-metallic Materials at the Technical University of Clausthal, Germany. The overall goals of the collaboration are to foster new professional links between the glass science and ceramic engineering programs at the two universities, and to obtain preliminary data describing the interactions between glass-ceramics and oxide glass melts that is critical to support improved industrial glass recycling. The research team will undertake a set of experiments to gather preliminary data and establish models of the corrosion of silicate glass ceramics in direct contact with melts of oxide glasses. The data will be used to create models to describe the corrosion mechanism between the two materials. The outcome of the project will be significant from two perspectives: glass recycling, where the dissolution of the glass-ceramic is favorable; and, conversely, for applications such as crucibles and stirrers for advanced melting techniques where the durability of the materials is critical. In glass recycling, ceramic and glass-ceramic contamination is a continuing problem that can lead to flaws in the glass and sometimes damage the furnace, orifices, and forming equipment. In Germany, the problem of glass-ceramic contamination in cullet used in fiberglass manufacture is so great that the industry is considering discontinuing the use of recycled material. For advanced glass melting, glass-ceramic materials have the potential to be used as critical long-life melting and forming tools. The two PI teams and the two institutions have complementary expertise and facilities that will ensure a fruitful interaction
