NCIE
NCIE
Environmentally cleaner and stronger. E ngineers have developed a new type of material
Engineers have developed a new technology for the production of environmentally friendly and durable glass. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a new type of material called LionGlass. It resembles classic glass, only it is 10 times more durable, writes hightech.fm.
The production of this material results in less carbon dioxide emissions and lowers electricity consumption. The most common form of glass used in industrial production is sodium-calcium-silicate glass. It is made from quartz sand, soda ash and limestone melted at a temperature of about 1500°C. This process is very energy intensive and the melting of the ingredients results in the release of carbon dioxide.
For the production of LionGlass, engineers replaced soda and ash in the traditional composition with aluminum oxide or iron-based compounds. In this case, the content of silicon dioxide can vary from 40% to 90% by volume. The resulting composite materials are prepared at a temperature of only 400°C , in which case electricity consumption is reduced by 30%.
High strength opens up a number of advantages, engineers believe. Thinner objects with the same strength can be created from such glass. This means that less electricity and raw materials will be required for production. In addition, transportation costs will also decrease.
