Glass, Known for 50 Centuries, Still Challenges Researchers

May 16, 2012 - Glass, Known for 50 Centuries, Still Challenges Researchers. Anal. Chem. , 1957, 29 (9), pp 73A–75A. DOI: 10.1021/ac60129a778...
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LABORATORY

Photoelastic examination is utilized to determine stress in glass, which features a carefully filtered light of a single wave length

In some stress studies, a custom built polarimeter is used

Glass, K n o w n for 5 0 Centuries, Still Challenges Researchers

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OMPLETION of three n e w buildings

adds one quarter of a million square feet of floor space for laboratories a n d offices of Corning Glass Works, Corning, Ν . Υ . This new construction represents one of the largest in t h e company's 106year history. T h e nine-story administra­ tion building, three-story research labo­ ratory, and one-story development work­ shop were needed t o meet space r e ­ quirements resulting from rapid growth in t h e past decade. T h e research a n d development build­ ings, t h e Eugene C. Sullivan Research

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Laboratories, are named in honor of t h e founder of organized glass research in the United States. These two buildings house laboratories, offices, a library, a 100-seat auditorium, a n d conference rooms. Allowance is made for 2 0 % fu­ ture expansion. B y doubling t h e space available, Corning will be able to continue its sub­ stantial research program more effi­ ciently. Research is t h e life blood of Coming as indicated b y t h e fact t h a t 7 5 % of its present sales are for items which did n o t exist 15 years ago. A

The 68,000 square foot development workshop faced with glass blocks and the 60,000-square-foot, three-story research laboratory faced with black Carrara glass comprise the new Eugene C. Sullivan Research Laboratories. More than 350 chemists, physicists, glass technologists, and assistants use these facilities for re­ search on glass and ceramics

good example of a fundamental research project yielding a new product is t h e development of a new family of crystal­ line materials made from glass. Called Pyroeeram, these materials are tough, heat resistant, harder t h a n steel, lighter than aluminum, and nine times stronger t h a n plate glass. Research efforts a r e directed along several lines including fundamental, chemical, melting, refractory, television, electronic components, technical serv­ ices, and consumer products. The best in instrumentation is r e ­ quired in these operations. One typical example is precision photomultipliers and associated electronic a p p a r a t u s used t o study crystal formation. A c ­ curate time measuring devices, which will measure accurately t o a t e n t h of a millionth of a second, are* used regu­ larly. Under development is one which will measure one millimicrosecond. I n the television field, much research h a s been done in developing better glasses for television tubes a n d for sealing t h e faceplates, cones, and neck components. T h e Chemical Research Group centers its research on t h e chemical stability of glass (reaction t o various acids a n d bases), new glass compositions, a n d further development of high silica glasses (Vycor). Considerable work h a s been done on glass solders for sealing metal t o metal, glass t o glass, glass t o ceramics, a n d glass t o mica. F u r t h e r development of glass as a high tempera­ ture lubricant is also under way. VOL. 29, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 1957 ·

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LABORATORY

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The n e w l a b o r a t o r i e s d o u b l e the f l o o r s p a c e d e v o t e d t o research a n d d e v e l o p m e n t activities. Features include a i r c o n d i t i o n i n g , m o v a b l e p a r t i t i o n s , fluorescent l i g h t i n g , a n d outlets f o r c o m pressed air, g a s , o x y g e n , a n d p o w e r , a n d h e a t reflecting w i n d o w s

Flame p h o t o m e t e r s a r e used t o a n a l y z e glass specimens. Results o f physical p r o p e r t y measurements, chemical analysis, a n d x - r a y studies a r e f u r nished t o all interested research g r o u p s

The p o l a r o g r a p h is used t o study glass compositions. The M e l t i n g Research G r o u p is a d d i n g a b o u t 3 0 n e w glasses each d a y t o the 6 5 , 0 0 0 a l r e a d y in f i l e . L a b o r a t o r y results a r e used t o d e t e r m i n e those glasses which a r e s u i t a b l e f o r mass p r o d u c t i o n

Basic studies o f glass structure, such as x - r a y b o m b a r d ment, h a v e l e d t o m a n y n e w p r o d u c t s . T o d a y 75% of C o m i n g ' s sales come f r o m p r o d u c t s which d i d not exist 1 5 years a g o

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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

NEW DOUBLE DUTY INSTRUMENT

ACITHERM Study on the reaction of glasses to various acids and bases is part of a continuing research program. Here results of a titration are being recorded

Gases f o u n d in glass compositions are a n a l y z e d b y a mass s p e c t r o m e t e r . O t h e r physical p r o p e r t y measurements a n d chemical analyses a r e m a d e b y the Technical Services Research G r o u p using a w i d e a r r a y o f instrumentation includ­ ing x - r a y d i f f r a c t i o n a p p a r a t u s a n d t h e x - r a y fluorescence s p e c t r o m e t e r , M'ach i n t e r f e r o m e t e r , 1 3 - f o o t Schlieren testing bench, high precision s p e c t r o m e t e r , i n ­ duction combustion a n a l y z e r , p o l a r o g r a p h , a n d f l a m e p h o t o m e t e r

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Vacuum p l a t i n g o f metallic a n d nonmetailic m a t e r i a l s o n t o glass a n d studies o f the surface chemistry o f glass a r e . c a r r i e d o u t w i t h the e q u i p m e n t shown

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Circle No. 75 A on Readers' Service Card, page 99 A VOL. 2 9 , N O . 9 , SEPTEMBER 1 9 5 7

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