Large Glass Research Articles

Preparation and Electrothermal Transport Behavior of Sn8[(Ga2Te3)34(SnTe)66]92 Bulk Glass.

High-conductivity tellurium-based glasses were anticipated to be the attractive candidates in chalcogenide glass systems on account of their distinctive characteristics and extensive application prospects. In this paper, the high-density (>96%) Sn8[(Ga2Te3)34(SnTe)66]92 bulk glass with the density of 5.5917 g/cm3 was successfully prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technology at 460 K, using a 5 min dwell time and 450 MPa pressure. The room-temperature thermal conductivity of Sn8 bulk materials significantly decreased from 1.476 W m-1∙K-1 in the crystalline sample to 0.179 W m-1∙K-1 in the glass, and the Seebeck coefficient obviously increased from 35 μV∙K-1 in to 286 μV∙K-1, indicating that the glass transition of tellurium-based semiconductors could optimize the thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of the materials. Compared to the conventional tellurium-based glassy systems, the fabricated Sn8 bulk glass presented a high room-temperature conductivity (σ = 6.2 S∙m-1) and a large glass transition temperature (Tg = 488 K), which was expected to be a promising thermoelectric material.

Unconventionally Large Exchange Bias and Cluster Spin Glass State in Mn2(Ni,Sn) Heusler Alloys Melt Spun Ribbons

Unconventionally Large Exchange Bias and Cluster Spin Glass State in Mn₂(Ni,Sn) Heusler Alloys Melt Spun Ribbons

Durability test study of laminated specimens for large glass fiber protective structures in seawater

The mechanical properties of glass fiber composite structures prepared by vacuum forming manufacturing process are influenced by various factors and have a certain degree of dispersion, resulting in unclear durability characteristics when applied in corrosive seawater engineering. Firstly, a variety of resin materials for underwater protective structures are tested for seawater degradation, and excellent resins that can still ensure the structural load-bearing capacity and stability after immersion are selected. Secondly, based on relevant standards and specifications, the article conducted seawater immersion aging tests at room temperature and accelerated seawater immersion aging tests at 60°C on glass fiber specimens of 430 epoxy bisphenol vinyl resin and 1967 polycyclic pentadiene resin. Finally, the degradation characteristics of strength, modulus, and impact toughness of the specimens were obtained through a series of mechanical property tests, such as bending, compression, shear and impact, under different aging time periods in room temperature and 60°C seawaters, respectively. The article summarizes the differences in the durability and mechanical properties degradation of large glass fiber protective structures with different resins during seawater immersion.

Daylighting Evaluation of Perforated Screen Façade with Light Shelf in the Tropics

The use of large glass facades in buildings without external shading devices leads to a high daylight level, uneven daylight distribution, and glare. A perforated screen facade (PSF) is one of the shading systems that can provide daylight and view and prevent direct solar radiation into a building. More research is needed about the daylight performance of PSF in integration with daylighting systems in the tropics. A combination of PSF and light shelf (LS), a daylighting system that can redirect daylight to the ceiling and enhance daylight distribution, is proposed to improve daylight levels and reduce glare. The research aims to evaluate the daylight performance of PSF and LS in the tropics. The research method is experimental with simulation utilizing IES-VE Radiance IES. Average Daylight Factor (DFavg), Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI), and Daylight Glare Probability (DGP) of a room with a side window were compared with a room with PSF and LS. The results showed that implementing PSF and LS improved daylight performance by lowering the DFavg by 55%, increasing the UDI, and reducing the DGP.

Effect of external shading on the temperature distribution performance of glass greenhouse in Wuhan region

The spatial temperature distribution within greenhouses plays a crucial role in agricultural management, particularly in large glass greenhouses that provide optimal growing conditions for crops. The current study investigated the effects of solar radiation and external shading on the spatial distribution of air temperature inside a large glass greenhouse. Experiments were conducted during summer in Wuhan, China, with cherry tomatoes grown under removable black plastic external shading (50 % transmittance). The use of external shading reduced greenhouse temperatures by 6.80 % on sunny days with air conditioning and 4.62 % on cloudy/rainy days without air conditioning. It also decreased the correlation between solar radiation and indoor temperatures by 60.71 % on sunny days and 7.20 % on rainy days. The greenhouse exhibited uneven temperature distribution in all directions, with much greater vertical temperature gradients (0.67 °C/m on sunny days, 0.33 °C/m on rainy days) compared to east-west and north-south directions. While external shading reduced overall temperature unevenness, on rainy days the north-south temperature difference was only 0.28 %, but the middle position was 2.24 % warmer than boundaries. The findings provide insights into regulating external shading techniques for large greenhouses in humid subtropical climates to optimize temperature management and crop production efficiency.

A high explosive blast simulator

Window facades are heavily used in modern design. To ensure that the facade can withstand sufficiently large blast loads, experimental evaluation of the entire facade is crucial. In this study, we present the High Explosive Blast Simulator (HEBSim), an outdoors modular explosive-driven blast simulator with a large cross-section designed for real-size blast testing of glass facades. To evaluate the performance of HEBSim, we performed two test series, one with a rigid steel plate component and one with deformable laminated glass window components. Pressure sensors were used to measure the overpressure histories for both test series and deformation data was gathered using three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC) for the window component tests. The test series demonstrated that HEBSim generates planar and repeatable blast load profiles in line with explosive pressure resistance (EPR) classifications for various charge masses. In addition, the window component test series illustrated the stochastic fracture behavior of glass. Based on the presented data, HEBSim is found suitable for blast testing of large glass facades.

A comparative study of mechanical crushing and pyrolysis techniques for separation and recovery of discarded polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic modules

With the rapid growth of the photovoltaic (PV) industry, efficient recovery and utilization of discarded polycrystalline silicon PV modules have attracted increasing attention. This study compares the application of mechanical crushing and pyrolysis techniques in the recovery of PV modules. The results indicate that while mechanical crushing can preliminarily disintegrate materials, its effectiveness in separating valuable materials such as silver and aluminum is limited, particularly for particles larger than 1 mm. In contrast, pyrolysis techniques demonstrate outstanding performance in removing organic matter and separating silicon wafers and glass, notably enhancing the recovery rate of large glass particles. However, the brittleness of silicon wafers presents a challenge during pyrolysis. Furthermore, the pyrolysis mechanisms of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) film and backsheet materials are thoroughly discussed. The pyrolysis process of EVA film involves two stages: firstly, the preferential decomposition of acetyl oxygens on ester side chains, followed by further pyrolysis decomposition of the main chain and side chains to generate alkanes. Pyrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) begins with the generation of methyl and benzoyl radicals, while polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) pyrolysis initiates with the detachment of head-group units, followed by sequential detachment of chain units. Given the advantages of pyrolysis techniques, this study recommends them as the preferred method for PV module recovery.

Investigating the impact of building facades and finishing materials on the sustainable architectural identity of housing: A case study of Kabul

The architectural identities of a city and its surroundings are crucial for maintaining its quality and preserving its unique features. The cities of Afghanistan have undergone significant changes in their identities due to various internal and external factors. These factors have altered or destroyed the identity of the city, leading to the loss of architectural identity and increased confusion in numerous cities in Afghanistan. Throughout history, the city of Kabul, the largest city, has struggled to maintain an identifiable architectural style due to the rapid growth of informal settlements. Recently, large glass and synthetic material facades have become prominent features of Kabul’s urban landscape. These structures represent a new era of modernity, in contrast to the traditional mud-colored buildings that have long dominated the city’s architecture style. The purpose of this research is to explore the influence of building façades and finishing materials on Kabul's sustainable architectural identity, with the goal of studying the relationship between residential building design features and the city's cultural, social, and historical environment. The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, which involves conducting a comprehensive literature analysis and a field study that involves collecting data through observations, interviews, and questionnaires to achieve its objectives. The findings indicate that the selection of building façades and finishing materials has a significant impact on the sustainable architectural identity of Kabul. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers, architects, urban planners, and other stakeholders involved in shaping a sustainable built environment for Kabul and other similar cities in Afghanistan.

19‐2: Invited Paper: Ultra high brightness Color Sequential Front‐lit LCOS

Color Sequential Front‐lit LCOS (CSFLLCOS) is a compact (<0.5cc) and high brightness (110000nits/300mW) imaging solution for AR displays. However, as large FOV AR glasses i.e. >40 o become more and more popular, a higher brightness output requirement is imposed on the imager. A new LED coupling lens and waveguide plate structure have recently been proposed to promote the polarization recycling efficiency (PCE) and TpRs ratio respectively in CSFLLCOS. It is expected that the brightness will be 50% higher.

Obtaining ultra-high hardness in spark plasma sintered Ge40As40Se20 bulk glass

In order to overcome the narrow glass-forming compositional range with traditional melt-quenching method, we here performed the mechanical milling and Spark Plasma Sintering technology to fabricate a high Ge content chalcogenide glass, the Ge40As40Se20 glass, which locates edge of the Ge-As-Se glass-forming domain. By using the optimal ball milling time of 50 h and sintering stress of 37.5 MPa, the large size Ge40As40Se20 bulk glasses were obtained, which possesses both a large Vickers hardness of 369 kgf/mm2 and a relative high infrared optical transmission of 43 % (@5 and 9 μm). Moreover, it was found there are pores in the sintered glasses more or less, and the pore size and number significantly affect the transmission, i.e., the optimal Ge40As40Se20 bulk glasses were demonstrated has the smallest and least pores via scanning electron microscope. The combination of mechanical milling and low-temperature sintering methods has been confirmed can be used to improve the glass formability and then obtain the high Ge content component with a potential high hardness glass to break through the limited mechanical property of chalcogenides.

Investigation of real-life drug intake behaviour in older adults and geriatric patients in Northern Germany – A biopharmaceutical perspective

Dosing conditions (type and amount of accompanying fluid, the type of food, the time of administration, and dosage form modifications such as crushing tablets) are critical and affect the performance of oral dosage forms in the gastrointestinal tract and thus bioavailability. Because older adults are the primary users of medications and are more susceptible to adverse effects, it is important to understand how they take their medications in order to reduce risks and increase benefits of the pharmacotherapy. The aim of the study was to investigate the real-life drug intake behaviour in geriatric patients and older adults and discuss their influence on drug absorption after oral administration. The data from two settings home vs. hospital and genders women vs. men were presented. A questionnaire study was performed among people aged at least 65 years from two settings (hospital vs. home), recruited mostly from community pharmacies and a regional hospital in Mecklenburg – Western Pomerania. The obtained data demonstrates that older adults and geriatric patients take their medications in the same way regardless of the setting and gender. There were no significant differences. Interviewed participants were mostly adherent to the doctor's recommendations and mostly took their medications in the same way every day. Medications are most commonly taken with a small (100 mL) or large (200 mL) glass of noncarbonated water, after food (during or after breakfast 64 % of intakes in the morning and during or after dinner 81 % of intakes in the evening). Meal usually consisted of bread, either with jam or honey (breakfast), or ham and cheese (dinner). All reported dosage form modifications were made to tablets. In almost all cases it was splitting the tablet, which was performed due to doctor's indication.

Fine tuning of gas system and performance studies of RPC detectors in the INO's mini-ICAL detector

The India-based Neutrino Observatory's (INO) Iron CALorimeter (ICAL) experiment will be instrumented with about 28,800 large area glass Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) as active detector elements. The mini-ICAL, which is a 600-times scaled-down prototype version of the ICAL, is currently in operation at the Inter Institutional Centre for High Energy Physics (IICHEP), a transit campus of the INO project in Madurai, India. The 4 m×4 m detector comprises an ∼ 85 t magnet, built using 11 layers of iron plates to accommodate 10 layers of RPCs — two RPCs per layer. A closed-loop gas system (CLS) is designed to supply gas mixture of R134a (95.2%), isobutane (4.5%), and SF 6 (0.3%) to the mini-ICAL, collect the return gas from the RPCs, purify it using filters, and recirculate the mixture into the detector. Contamination of any kind into the gas mixture will severely affect the characteristics of the RPC detectors, such as the dark current and noise rates, and consequently deteriorate performance of the RPC detector. The contamination is mainly caused due to leaks within the gas system, in the gas lines and in the RPC gas gap volume. This paper deals with systematic identification and mitigation of leaks within the closed-loop gas system and performance improvement of the RPCs installed in the mini-ICAL detector.

The Molina Family Latino Gallery: A PEAS Case Study

The Molina Family Latino Gallery: A PEAS Case Study

Crystallization of piezoceramic films on glass via flash lamp annealing

Integration of thin-film oxide piezoelectrics on glass is imperative for the next generation of transparent electronics to attain sensing and actuating functions. However, their crystallization temperature (above 650 °C) is incompatible with most glasses. We developed a flash lamp process for the growth of piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate films. The process enables crystallization on various types of glasses in a few seconds only. The functional properties of these films are comparable to the films processed with standard rapid thermal annealing at 700 °C. A surface haptic device was fabricated with a 1 μm-thick film (piezoelectric e33,f of −5 C m−2). Its ultrasonic surface deflection reached 1.5 μm at 60 V, sufficient for its use in surface rendering applications. This flash lamp annealing process is compatible with large glass sheets and roll-to-roll processing and has the potential to significantly expand the applications of piezoelectric devices on glass.

Fabrication and characterization of different PbO borate glass systems as radiation-shielding containers

Three borate glasses of 50, 35, and 15 mol% PbO-doped Ce, Sb, or Mn ions were fabricated via the melting-annealing procedure. Their structural features were inspected before and after 250 kGy of gamma irradiation using FTIR and ESR techniques. The spectra of the ESR and FTIR vibrational bands remain constant, with a minor reduction in N4 and an enhancement in density values after irradiation, indicating the large structural stability and glass compactness. Many radiation shielding parameters were studied, such as gamma dose rate (µSv/h), dose transmission %, lifetime cancer risk %, macroscopic effective removal cross-section (∑R), mass stopping power, and projected range values ​​were considered for protons particles by SRIM Monte Carlo simulation code and ESTAR program. The whole data reveals the high radiation shielding efficiency of the glasses compared to other standard shields to be used as glass immobilizers for radioactive wastes or storage containers, e.g., for nuclear medicine units in hospitals.

Numerical simulation of aerodynamics in the cabin of transport

One of the most important tasks of transport engineering is the task of providing optimal and comfortable conditions for drivers and passengers, in particular: temperature, pressure, dust content, humidity, air speed, noise, illumination, etc. Temperature, humidity and vibration influences are also of great importance for the functioning of electronic devices and transport equipment. In this paper, a numerical-mathematical model is presented for studying the fields of temperatures, velocities, pressures, densities and humidity of air in the cabin space with simultaneous blowing by an external flow and internal ventilation. As a mathematical model, the Navier-Stokes equations in the RANS formulation are used, together with the diffusion equation, which allows calculating the mass fractions of water vapor in the domain. As a numerical implementation, the finite volume method is used together with turbulence models in the Ansуs Fluent software product. A non-stationary setting is considered, the stabilization time of flows is found; the stabilized fields are compared with the results obtained for the stationary setting. A method for obtaining numerical values of heat transfer coefficients for walls consisting of several layers of materials is also given. As a numerical experiment, a cabin of a special technological transport with a large glass area and multi- layered walls, with one driver without passengers, is considered. The obtained results are compared with the results obtained earlier without taking into account the diffusion equation and relative air humidity modeling.

Design and Evaluation of a Desiccant-based Solar Still for Atmospheric Water Collection

A novel still design is proposed that employs a composite desiccant to adsorb atmospheric water vapor. The still has a pyramid design with two short windows and two large glass surfaces. The still is designed to be partially buried 15 centimeters into the ground for passive cooling of the condensing glass surfaces to improve condensation efficiency. An experimental setup is developed with a mud platform to study the performance of the still. A pyramid-shaped still of dimension 30cm x 30cm x 45cm (LxWxH) is fitted with thermocouples, humidity sensors, and a pyranometer to record the global irradiance. The data for two days, one with a buried still and the other unburied, of similar irradiance, are recorded from 6 am to 6 pm with a beaker containing water placed at the stage in the still. The results indicate a drop in glass temperature of about 10.42% in the buried setup compared to the unburied structure. This also resulted in the dew point being maintained for only 35% of the time in the unburied still compared to the buried still.

Soft magnetostrictive patches for guided wave ultrasonics using Wiedemann effect-based MPTs and EMATs

Magnetically soft and malleable magnetostrictive (MS) alloys are highly promising as low-cost solutions for high-efficiency generation of guided waves in industrial applications and a variety of magnetostrictive patch transducers (MPTs) have been described in the literature. This work focuses on understanding the mechanisms and behaviour of soft MPTs used in the Wiedemann effect geometry, generating shear horizontal (SH) guided waves using FeCo alloy patches. MPT operation is explored in relation to patch geometry, size, magnetic field directions and guided wave wavelength. MPTs are compared with electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) and EMATs are also placed on MS and copper foil patches bonded to large glass plates for some of the measurements. Periodic permanent magnet (PPM) array EMATs operating on MPTs bonded to ferritic steel samples produced significant enhancements in the generated wave amplitude and the detected signal amplitude when compared to directly generating on the steel substrate, which primarily operates through the Lorentz mechanism. This enhanced performance was investigated and was found to be due to the magnetic fringing fields at the magnet edges. Moreover, EMAT lift-off behaviour was significantly improved when an EMAT was placed above a magnetostrictive patch, with 50 mm lift-off between the EMAT and the patch demonstrated for SH wave generation at a 22 mm nominal wavelength at a 170 kHz excitation frequency on a glass plate sample.

Load transfer of small-diameter GFRP and stainless steel doweled-joints in slabs-on-ground

Large diameter steel and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) dowel bars are commonly used in rigid concrete pavements in highways for load transfer across joints to combat the concrete deterioration due to corrosion of steel dowels. Small-diameter GFRP dowel bars can be used at the expansion joints in slabs-on-ground, walkways, industrial floors and concrete-lined channels, which are not subjected to heavy traffic loads. This study investigated the performance and behavior of small-diameter GFRP dowels. GFRP dowels with three diameters (14 mm, 16 mm, and 38 mm) and stainless steel dowels (12 mm dia.) were embedded across a 25 mm-wide joint in a test slab with overall dimensions of 1500 × 750 × 200 mm3. The variables of the study were the type of dowel material (GFRP and stainless steel), the diameter of GFRP dowels, the spacing of the dowels (200 mm and 250 mm c/c), and the type of loading (monotonic and cyclic). The slabs were loaded up to the failure of the joints under a concentrated load applied at the edge of the joint. The performance of the dowel-jointed slab specimens was investigated based on the cracking and ultimate loads, modes of failure, and load-displacement response. The ability of the small-diameter dowel bars to transfer displacements across the joint was quantified using the quantitative measures of joint effectiveness (E), load transfer efficiency (LTE), and relative deflections (Δ). Failure of the specimens with 14 mm and 16 mm diameter dowels occurred predominantly due to shear failure of the dowels before the cracking of concrete. However, for the specimens with large-diameter GFRP dowels and the stainless steel dowels, failure was associated with cracking of the concrete. A smaller spacing of the GFRP dowels and a longer embedment length gave a stiffer load-displacement response. Reducing the spacing from 250 mm to 200 mm resulted in a 4.1-fold reduction in relative deflection under the AASHTO H10 design wheel load (∼35.6 kN). Increasing the dowel length had no significant effect on the load-carrying capacity of the dowel-jointed slabs. Cyclic load tests on the specimens revealed that the joint effectiveness (E) and the load transfer efficiency (LTE) of GFRP dowels were within the AASHTO and ACPA limits up to a concentrated load higher than the AASHTO HL93 dual tandem-axle wheel load (∼55.6 kN).

R&D of glass scintillator for nuclear radiation detection

In 2021, the Institute of High Energy Physics proposed a design of glass scintillator coupled with SiPM as a new solution for the next generation calorimeter, to explore the application of glass scintillators in high energy physics and nuclear radiation detection. The Large Area Glass Scintillator Collaboration Group was established to research and develop a glass scintillator with high density, high light yields and fast decay time. Through continuous optimization, the glasses have excellent scintillation performance with a light yield of 1000 ph/MeV and a density of 6 g/cm3. Moreover, the neutron response of the glasses was investigated, and different high-energy particles can be distinguished by signal amplitude. In addition, the radiation resistance of different glasses was tested under proton beam. All the glasses appeared opaque and produced a high radioactive background, because Gd element interacts with proton to produce radionuclides with high activity and long half-life.