The use of laminated glass (LG) is growing in structural applications. The conventional methods used to cut LG involve cutting glasses and interlayer separately and, thus, are less productive. The present work reports the use of abrasive water jet machining (AWJM) for LG cutting for the first time in the open literature. The statistical methods have determined the optimum process parameters of AWJM for the LG cutting. The boundaries of LG sample cut using conventional method and AWJM are examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Three-point bending tests have highlighted the superiority in the load-bearing ability and fracture pattern for LG samples cut by AWJM. A finite element (FE) model formed using an explicit dynamic module of ANSYS has explored the experimental findings. The FE model has predicted the stresses and strain for the glass and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer due to the strike of single SiC abrasive particles. The findings should be useful for the practical guidance to both the academic community and industry.

Sulphuric acid–water glass slurry is a type of chemical slurry. The gel time of sulfuric acid–water glass slurry is affected by many factors. However, few researchers have addressed the influence of temperature. Through a series of laboratory tests, the viscosity and gel time of sulfuric acid–water glass slurry were studied at temperatures of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80°C, with sulfuric acid concentrations of 4·75, 5·0, 5·25, and 5·5%. In the tests, the viscosity of the slurry was reduced from 7 to 3 mPas with a temperature increase of 20–80°C. Gel time increased before the temperature reached 40°C. Above 40°C, the gel time began to decrease. Different concentrations of sulphuric acid slurry resulted in various reactions at sudden temperatures. Abrupt temperature changes caused the slurry gel time to increase over the previous temperature; as the temperature continued to increase, slurry gel time began to decrease. The greater the concentra- tion of sulfuric acid, the greater the strength of the gel, however, as the temperature increased, the strength of the gel decreased continually. Temperature thus has a major influence on the strength of the gel relative to the concentration of sulphuric acid.

Corrosion and dissolution reactions of Na 2 O. xSiO 2 glasses (x=2·0, 2·5, and 3·3) were investigated by static and dynamic corrosion tests at pH values between 7 and 14 and temperatures of 30 and 50°C. The investigated glass compositions are close to those used for water glass production. Several types of leachants with varied pH and SiO 2 concentrations were applied to induce corrosion effects. One characteristic feature of the corrosion process is the development of a reaction layer on top of the corroding glasses, a process depending on leachant pH. At intermediate pH values reaction layers were observed, but not at high pH values (>12). To generate altered glass surfaces with and without reaction layers sodium silicate glasses were corroded in deionized H 2 O, 0·1 M NaOH, and diluted liquid sodium water glasses. The resulting samples or layer materials were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, Raman microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, or 29 Si-MAS-NMR spectroscopy. Especially Raman microscopy was applied to characterize depth profiles of structural changes of silicate (Q n ) groups and of concentration profiles of molecular H 2 O within reaction layers. The results are discussed with respect to influences of pH and leachant composition in order to evaluate possible corrosion mechanisms.

Colemanite, as a new environmentally friendly raw material for providing boron oxide, was used to promote the melting of glass during rock wool production. The sintering properties were improved dramatically when 3·0 wt% of B 2 O 3 was added into the rock wool through the addition of colemanite. More importantly, the high-temperature viscosity of the quenched glasses exhibited significant variation among the samples doped with different concentrations of B 2 O 3 . Since thermal insulation is the most important application of rock wool, the structural properties, such as the tensile strength and chemical stability, were also investigated in this study.

Opaque copper red glass has been produced since the birth of the glassmaking technology. Since the first/second c. AD the so-called red brown glass was produced and was constantly made up to nowadays. Despite several analytical studies, many technological aspects of this particular glass are still unclear. Opaque red brown glass was widely made also in Venice. Samples of Renaissance Venetian glass were analysed and abundant historical sources of this period including recipes of Venetian glassmakers are available. This combination of analyses and texts represents a unique opportunity to shed light on the production technology of red brown glass. The aim of this work is to better understand some aspects of this glass, such as the raw materials used, the glassmaking procedure, the control of the final colour, through a comparison between chemical analyses of Renaissance Venetian samples and the indications of historical sources. The information obtained for Venetian glass could be useful for the interpretation of the technology of red opaque glass made in other places and periods for which specific written documents are lacking.

Quartz is one of the difficult-to-machine materials due to its low fracture toughness and high hardness. In this study, the machinability of this material during single point diamond turning (SPDT) was numerically investigated using finite element method (FEM). First of all, the accuracy of the FE model was verified based on the experimental data available in literature. Then, the machinability of quartz was analysed in terms of cutting force, tool/workpiece temperature and tool wear rate. Also, the influence of tool vibration on cutting force and tool wear rate was investigated. Furthermore, an empirical/mathematical model was developed to express the machining outputs as a function of the micro-machining parameters. The obtained results indicate the good performance of FEM in analysing the machinability of quartz during SPDT process.

During the corrosion process, as the ion exchange between the surface of the glass and the water progresses, the chemical structure of the surface changes and different structural layers are formed. These layers are characterised by various analytical techniques such as EPMA, XRD, FT-IR, TG-DTA and ICP-OES. Three carbonate mineral species namely calcite (CaCO 3 ), shortite (Na 2 Ca 2 (CO 3 ) 3 ) and nyerereite (Na 2 Ca(CO 3 ) 2 ) have been identified at the outermost deposition layer. Critical parameters that affect the formation of the alkali depleted and silica enriched gel layer are investigated using some special test methods. Methylene blue solution reacts with the silanol groups of gel layer leaving a blue tint behind, the intensity of which varies with the extent of corrosion as the amount of silanol groups outcropped due to the increase of the porous structure area. A colour scale is developed to determine the level of corrosion and the results are correlated with the results of other known chemical analysis methods. The effect of annealing conditions on the chemical resistance of the surfaces and the role of the shape of the bottles on the water condensation at humid atmosphere are studied. The results of acid treatment and re-annealing of the corroded surfaces are described.

A brief history of stained glass manufacture by James Powell & Sons introduces an account of the firm's success in selling windows in the USA in the interwar years, as recorded in the diaries of James Hogan, their chief designer.

Cord appearance in the glass industry is a serious problem in high glass quality tableware production. The increased frequency of sharp cords provoked a serious analysis on cord origin and their elimination at the production line. Optical microscopy and electron microprobe analysis (EMA) were applied as direct methods for cord identification. A computational flow dynamics calculation (CFD) and process data analysis were used to verify the hypothesised source of the inhomogeneity. The hypothesis on origin of ZrO 2 free cords containing high amounts of Al 2 O 3 was postulated in relation to the refractory material composition of the forehearth. Calculations showed that the suggested mechanism at temperatures between 1200 and 1300°C was relevant. The hypothesis was supported by a change of chemical character of the cords after partial removal of the poorly resistant material. Also the average cord frequency was reduced on a production line from 53 to 17%. CFD simulations indicated that there may exist an effective mixing strategy on cord dissolution. Increasing stirrer rotation speed in a tempering part of the forehearth had a positive effect on cord disruption. The proposed stirrer set up decreased the cord frequency to less than 2%.

The process of deterioration of a stained glass window, more precisely of its component glass, lead and paint pigments, has in recent decades been researched thoroughly and is now well understood. The need for the protection in particular of the potash window glasses of the middle ages therefore is widely accepted but not the means of how to achieve this aim. Early attempts such as coatings applied on the glass or the sandwich process, known as Jacobi–Process, have failed for a variety of reasons and with disastrous consequences. Short of removing the windows to safe storage, the only response currently available is the creation of a museum like condition on site in the form of the introduction of an isothermal glazing system. Despite its unquestioned merits, the isothermal glazing system is still in dispute mainly because of its interference with a given historic setting. A variety of designs for the isothermal glazing will be discussed, all aimed at minimising their physical and visual impact on the building, making a strong case in favour of this important protective measure.