Filament-laying techniques originated in the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) and flourished in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), before being introduced to the Boshan region of China. After this technology was introduced to Boshan, glass artisans in the area used the well-developed local methods of glass production to pull out ultra-fine glass filaments, replacing original fibre or silk filaments with glass filaments. As a result, Boshan's speciality of glass-filament-laying was born. Products made using this technique include plaques, table lamps, palace lamps and screens. Glass-filament-laying is the melting of transparent glass into fine filaments of uniform thickness, dividing the filaments into two layers, closely arranged and bonded in different orders, with calligraphy and paintings on paper or silk sandwiched in between them. The glass-filament-laying process is highly complex and there are fewer and fewer master artisans of this skill today, with it being close to being lost. This paper mainly studies and discusses the development of glass-filament-laying in Boshan and the contemporary innovative methods of glass-filament-laying.

This paper is linked to a Year 2 doctoral practice-based research project, which explores the negative impacts on mental health and well-being of too-fast pace of life and work-related stress through craft. Existing research shows that the benefits of craft on mental health arise through the making process itself, creativity and self-expression, with foundations in psychology, (1) biology (2) and sociology. (3) In order to further explore the potential benefits of craft, the author examines the integration of literati landscape painting, an art form known for its positive impact on mental health, (4) into the craft of glassmaking. Additionally, the paper discusses the unproven health benefits and potential of long-standing after-making interaction with craft, such as the use of prayer beads and the love patina in Chinese culture, which aims to transfer the joy of craft from the maker to the user. Through cultural probe and participant interviews, the author validates to a certain extent the positive effects of literati style craft on well-being, as participants perceive it as a means of self-expression, connection, and ultimately achieving improved health and well-being.

Achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 to limit global warming to 1??5°C is one of humanity’s most critical challenges. Every energy-intensive sector, including glass manufacturing, must play a part in reaching this goal. This paper, based on the AGC/Professor Michael Cable Memorial Lecture, presents a comprehensive analysis of the technical challenges and strategies for decarbonization of glass melting, the most energy-intensive process in glass production, accounting for 50‐80% of the total energy used in glass manufacturing. Four key themes are explored. First, it examines the energy intensity of the glass industry within the broader context of commodity materials manufacturing. Next, it offers an overview of the glass manufacturing process, with a focus on the fundamentals of glass melting. It then highlights key technological innovations implemented by the author and colleagues that have significantly reduced the energy intensity of melting. Finally, it presents decarbonization strategies for glass melting, with a focus on energy substitution methods such as electric boosting, hydrogen combustion, and ammonia combustion, discussing their benefits, challenges, and, where applicable, providing economic projections. The paper also addresses emissions reduction through increased cullet use and raw material modifications.

This paper provides an overview of environmental issues related to the production of optical glass and float glass, along with proposed solutions. It explores methods that can optimise production efficiency while reducing the overall ecological footprint. These solutions aim to promote a more environmentally friendly and socially responsible approach to glass manufacturing. The main environmental areas identified include pollution from chemical materials, gaseous pollution, and contamination from solid and dust particles. Furthermore, during the production of optical glass, the correct handling of chemical materials was found to be the most crucial aspect due to the its wide range of varieties involved. On the other hand, in the production of float glass, greater emphasis was placed on addressing issues related to natural gas consumption, given the large volumes required. It was established that the utilisation of conditioned raw materials has a positive impact on the environment by reducing natural gas consumption. Consequently, a comprehensive methodology for studying these environmental issues was summarised, and promising directions for addressing them were identified. The focus is on Ukrainian production within this industry.

The influences of bubbling tube length, gas volume and position on glass flow are analyzed and optimized by numerical simulation. The results show that the effect of bubbling on the relatively stationary layer in circulation I is related to the tube length and gas volume of bubbling. Larger bubbling gas volume indicates that the range of action below the bubbling nozzle is deeper. Thus, the relationship between gas volume and its action area is established on the basis of the aforementioned observation. In addition, the bubbling position significantly affects the "thermal barrier" on the spring zone. Moreover, bubbling can only play a beneficial role on the glass furnace when appropriate distance is maintained between the bubbling and spring zone. Combined with the simulation optimization results and the bubbling viewpoint proposed in Part 1, the bubbling parameters of a production line in China were optimized, and the stripe images of the glass products with bubbling before and after optimization were compared and verified. The obtained results were consistent with the simulation results. This work provides a valuable reference for the early design and construction of a furnace and its optimization adjustment after production. It also reflects the importance of rational distribution of glass flow with bubbling in the furnace on the quality of the glass product.

E-glass fibre glass products have found a wide range of applications in composite markets, including automobile parts, printed circuit boards, construction materials, wind turbine blades, pipes, etc. One of the commonly used major ingredients of E-glass batch is kaolin, which provides sources of silica and alumina. This paper focuses on the evaluation of alternative silicate minerals that may benefit the fibre glass production in terms of kinetics of batch-to-melt (BtM) conversion, stable and lower impurity iron, and lower BtM conversion energy. Using kaolin (free quartz less than 1 wt%) as a control, four new natural minerals are investigated, high silica kaolin (quartz greater than 50 wt%), pyrophyllite, anorthosite and wollastonite. In our study, a newly established FTIR protocol has been applied to track intermediate phase formation and final glass melt conversion. Literature reported XRD results and limited XRD analysis are used to support the IR characterization. According to our study, for E-glass of C a O???Al 2 O 3 ???SiO 2 based system, independent of the source of the natural silicate minerals used, BtM kinetics is primarily controlled by the availability of “free silica” to react with ???free calcium oxide??? derived from limestone in the batch at high temperature above 1000°C.

On 6th October 1672 the group of diners at Lord Salisbury’s table included Robert Hooke, the Royal Society’s curator of experiments. He noted in his diary ‘Discoursd after dinner of new glasses...’. This interest in innovative glasses was not an isolated or transient one. The previous year Robert Boyle had argued that it was important that ‘curious people’ should understand ‘trades’: ‘It [experimental philosophy] may enable gentlemen and scholars to converse with tradesmen and benefit themselves (and perhaps the tradesmen too) by that conversation; or at least it will qualify them to ask questions of men that converse with things, and sometimes to exchange experiments with them.’ To achieve these aspirations scientists and those of the glass trade needed to communicate effectively ‐ a challenge given the cognitive gaps between them, since their: languages; vocabularies; and contextual knowledge all differed markedly. Perhaps more importantly their objectives diverged, the ‘curious’ scientists seeking knowledge for the sake of the knowledge, whilst the ‘artificers who communicated with glass’ sought it to create wealth. Some aimed to do this by making a heavier, clearer, stronger, glass resembling rock crystal to satisfy the newly-formed Worshipful Company of Glass‐sellers; others through new, state‐of‐the‐art decorative coloured glasses. This paper is about how these scientists and glass‐makers jointly learnt about ‘new’ glasses and together overcame a number of set‐backs, including crizzling and solarisation, to achieve world-class products. The ensuing co‐operation between these communities was not confined to England, but probably had more success here than abroad because many participants were collocated in London.

This is the fourth in this series of “Lessons Learned and Yet to be Learned” on topics related to glass strength.In this paper we pick up the topic of stronger glass products from our earlier publication and expand to discussing commercial technologies. Included in this discussion are a brief historical perspective of the initial technologies and update to newer technologies with the aim to obtain faster production rates that focus on lightweight glass products and a sustainable future with respect to resource conservation, reduced energy consumption and reduced CO 2 emissions. Also included are glass products which focus on safety mostly and less on overall strength.

Aqueous corrosion of soda–lime–silica (SLS) glass surfaces is a ubiquitous phenomenon, demanding a thorough under- standing of the underpinning structural chemistry. Here we unveil the fugacious behaviour of water molecules within the disseminated voids of the subsurface silicate network of SLS glass. The surface nanostructural modifications caused by the exposure of the glass surface to continuous flow of superheated steam was investigated. The variation of hardness was studied as a function of depth from the glass surface, in correlation with the structural alterations at atomic scale by surface sensitive spectroscopic techniques. The analysis of the modification of the surface nanostructure, driven by the enhanced mobility of the silicate network effectuated by superheated steam at the vicinity of glass transition temperature (T g ), serves as a model to explain the activity of water molecules within the glass network. We attribute the evidence of transient subsurface hardening to the loss of interstitial water molecules within the silicate rings.

This paper introduces the relationship between inheritance, cultural legacy and innovation in traditional art and the historical development of traditional Chinese inner-painted snuff bottles. Although, the traditional Chinese inner-painted snuff bottles are a folk handicraft, it is an integral part of China's intangible cultural heritage and an indispensable and significant category of art in Chinese culture. However, in its 200 years of history and development, inner-painted snuff bottles have not substantially improved either in shape or in the content and quality of decoration and could be viewed as being in a state of slow decline. In the research process, the main focus has been on the production method, creating inner-painted sculpture using kiln casting glass techniques and interpreting the treatment method of inner and outer harmony of experimental works from the perspective of the traditional Chinese philosophy of 'Yin' and 'Yang', a dualist concept that expresses how opposite forces may actually be complementary. It is hoped that this study will not only promote the important cultural legacy and innovation of Chinese inner-painted snuff bottle art, but it will also bring about a new method for creating contemporary glass art.