Traditional Glass Research Articles

Marianismo and the changing role of Latinas in educational leadership

This article focuses on the testimonios of accomplished Latina school leaders, shedding light on their upbringing, familial responsibilities, generational poverty, and commitment to challenge the prevailing narrative and break through institutional barriers. We provide an overview of how they shaped and navigated their professional careers despite various barriers and how they blazed new trails for future generations. Cultural norms, familial responsibilities, and uncommon mentorship models for Latina school leaders are discussed. These leaders often missed family gatherings and children's events but had found ways to balance work and life and care for their loved ones. They acted as role models of professional success for their family, friends, and colleagues. They were windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors for those needing their support.RecommendationsThe women in our research serve as mentors (referred to as femtors) to other women in their fields. Through their achievements, they challenge and overcome the glass ceilings imposed by hegemonic systemic structures that favor and maintain existing social hierarchies by breaking through them. These structures often contribute to the marginalization of certain groups. Our findings from these testimonios fully capture the authenticity and essence of the participants' lived experiences while utilizing a feminist framework to construct research. The themes that emerged include (1) fostering a professional community linking one to other educational professionals, (2) participating in structured mentorship development programs throughout your career, (3) remaining a lifelong learner, (4) fostering professional relationships, and (5) remaining confident yet humble, and being one's authentic self. Finally, as the former Chancellor of New York Schools, Richard Carranza, often says, “Do not get lost trying to keep your job that you forget to do your job.” Our research delves into how these factors have led to their professional success and positioned them at the forefront of their fields. The pathways of the women in this study were similar in that their decisions led to positions of authority, namely superintendency, and gaining recognition for breaking through the traditional glass ceiling. We must consider whether generations of Latinas did not pursue careers or leadership positions outside their homes due to what they felt were their cultural and family obligations. Many agree that marianismo has prevented Latinas from reaching their goals.

Mapping the Anthropocene: Atelier NL, a Case Study of Place-Based Material Craft Practices

This paper argues that mapping as a methodology can support localised production, as exemplified in the case study of the design studio Atelier NL which marries contemporary design sensibilities with traditional glass and ceramics craft-making techniques. The paper puts forward the argument that by paying attention to local ecosystem services through mapping, place-based design solutions can be developed. Furthermore, the paper argues that the methodologies deployed by Atelier NL borrow from contemporary art creative mapping practices. This case study uses the framework of the Anthropocene to situate these mapping practices identified within the case study and contextualises these within 20th-century environmental arts practices, and those of the environmental art pioneers the Harrisons in particular. Finally, the paper argues that these mapping practices are responding to the conditions of the Anthropocene which increasingly makes clear that culture and nature are enmeshed, an insight that 19th-century town planner Patrick Geddes argued for more than a century ago.

Medium-Range Order Structure Controls Thermal Stability of Pores in Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) glasses have multiple potential applications, as they combine advantages of traditional glasses with those of MOFs. The melt-quenching process used to form MOF glasses typically leads to a significant decrease in porosity, but the structural origin of this thermally induced pore collapse remains largely unknown. Here, we study the melting process of three zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), namely ZIF-4, ZIF-62, and ZIF-76, using ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. By analyzing the MD data using topological data analysis, we show that while the three ZIF systems exhibit similar short-range order structural changes upon heating, they exhibit significant differences in their medium-range order structure. Specifically, ZIF-76 retains more of its medium-range order structures in the liquid state compared to the other glass-forming ZIF systems, which allows it to remain more porous than ZIF-4 and ZIF-62. As such, our results may aid in understanding the structural features that govern the ability to maintain porosity in the melt-quenched glassy state.

Extensive Analysis of a Reinvigorated Solar Water Heating System Using Low-Density Polyethylene Glazing

Solar energy is one of the most promising forms of alternative energy because it has no adverse effects on the environment and is entirely free. Converting solar energy into thermal energy is the most common and straightforward method; the efficiency of solar thermal conversion is approximately 70 percent. The intermittent nature of solar energy availability affects the performance of solar water heaters (SWH), which lowers the usefulness of solar energy in residential and commercial settings, particularly for water heating. Even at low temperatures, the performance of a collector can be improved by using low-density polyethylene (LDPE) glazing instead of traditional glass because it is less expensive and lighter than glass. Using a comprehensive experimental-simulative study, the Glass Solar water heater (glass SWH) and the low-density polyethylene solar water heater (LDPE SWH) are analyzed, examined, and compared in this work. These solar water heaters have galvanized iron (GI) as their absorber material. The SWHs were operated in a closed loop at a constant mass flow rate of 0.013 kg/s, and a 4E analysis (which stands for energy, exergy, economics, and efficiency recovery ratio) was carried out. This analysis included a look at the dynamic time, uncertainty, weight reduction, carbon footprint, and series connection. An LDPE SWH has an energy efficiency that is 5.57% and an exergy efficiency that is 3.2% higher than a glass SWH. The weight of the LDPE SWH is 32.56% lower than that of the glass SWH. Compared to the price of a conventional geyser, installing our SWH results in a cost savings of 40.9%, and monthly energy costs are reduced by an average of 25.5%. Compared to October, September has the quickest dynamic time to reach the desired temperature, while October has the most significant dynamic time. The efficiency recovery ratio (ERR) of a glass SWH is 0.0239% lower than that of an LDPE SWH. LDPE SWHs had a carbon credit worth INR 294.44 more than glass SWHs. The findings of these tests demonstrate that the LDPE SWH is a practical replacement for traditional means of heating water, such as SWHs and geysers.

Comparative Analysis of Hotspot Stress Endurance in Pristine and Thermal Cycled Prestressed Glass–Glass Photovoltaic Modules

Hotspots pose a significant long-term reliability challenge in photovoltaic (PV) modules that can have a detrimental impact on the efficiency, safety, and financial viability of a PV system. This paper aims to evaluate the endurance of hotspot stress in pristine and prestressed glass–glass (GG) modules. The accelerated prestressing was conducted for 600 thermal cycles (TC600) to represent decades of field exposure. GG modules are quickly becoming an alternative to the traditional glass–backsheet (GB) modules that have been the industry standard. Unlike other conventional studies that subject only pristine modules to hotspot stress, this paper evaluates the performance of an accelerated/simulated field-aged GG module (using TC600) and a pristine GG module. Pre- and post-characterizations were performed before and after each test to determine changes in electrical performance and observe any defects in GG modules. During the hotspot test, an approximately 200 °C maximum cell temperature was observed with a cell shading of 25% (the worst-case shading ratio). After the hotspot test, electroluminescence imaging indicated that most cells in the prestressed GG module exhibited severe damage whereas no significant defects were evident in the pristine GG module where the prestressed GG module degraded 8.2% and the pristine GG module degraded 1.5% in maximum power. These findings are critical for the industry, considering that GG bifacial modules will dominate the market.

Cyclic Stress–Strain Behavior and Model for FRP-Confined Engineered Cementitious Composite

A fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) confined engineered cementitious composite (ECC) column as a new high-performance composite member achieves significant ductility. Understanding its cyclic behavior is necessary to guide seismic design. This paper presents an experimental study on the compressive behavior of large rupture strain (LRS) FRP and traditional glass FRP (GFRP) jacketed ECC cylinders subjected to full and partial cyclic loadings. Effects of FRP confinement level, FRP type, and loading scheme on the failure pattern, stress–strain relationship, ultimate condition, plastic strain, and stress deterioration ratio were examined. Existing equations for plastic strain and stress deterioration ratio of the envelope and internal cycles were evaluated. Based on the experimental results, new calculation formulas were derived for the plastic strain and stress deterioration ratio. A threshold involving partial unloading/reloading factors was determined to define the effective cycles. In addition, a cyclic model composed of a monotonic envelope model and an unloading/reloading model was developed for estimating the stress–strain hysteresis loops of both GFRP- and LRS FRP-confined ECC cylinders.

Planar Spin Glass with TopologicallyProtected Mazes in the Liquid Crystal Targeting for Reconfigurable Micro Security Media.

The planar spin glass pattern is widely known for its inherent randomness, resulting from the geometrical frustration. As such, developing physical unclonable functions (PUFs)-which operate with device randomness-with planar spin glass patterns is a promising candidate for an advanced security systems in the upcoming digitalized society. Despite their inherent randomness, traditional magnetic spin glass patterns pose considerable obstacles in detection, making it challenging to achieve authentication in security systems. This necessitates the development of facilely observable mimetic patterns with similar randomness to overcome these challenges. Here, a straightforward approach is introduced using a topologicallyprotected maze pattern in the chiral liquid crystals (LCs). This maze exhibits a comparable level of randomness to magnetic spin glass and can be reliably identified through the combination of optical microscopy with machine learning-based object detection techniques. The "information" embedded in the maze can be reconstructed through thermal phase transitions of the LCs in tens of seconds. Furthermore, incorporating various elements can enhance the optical PUF, resulting in a multi-factor security medium. It is expected that this security medium, based on microscopically controlled and macroscopically uncontrolled topologicallyprotected structures, may be utilized as a next-generation security system.

Study onThe Moisture Absorption Properties of jute Fiber Reinforced Composites

Fiber-reinforced composites (FRP) have gradually become an important direction for the development of new materials due to their various excellent properties since their development. However, traditional glass fibers, carbon fibers, basalt fibers, etc. have various problems such as cost and environmental pollution, in contrast to natural crop fibers which are low-priced, widely available and environmentally friendly. In order to verify the service characteristics of jute fiber, one of the representatives of natural fibers, in complex environments, jute fiber reinforced composite laminates were prepared using Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion (VARI) process, and the moisture absorption properties of the laminates were investigated and the influence law and mechanism of four temperatures and two fiber plies on the water absorption and diffusion properties of the laminates were analyzed. The results show that: the moisture absorption process of the laminate conforms to Fick’s second law, but the applicability of Fick’s second law decreases as the temperature increases; the moisture absorption rate of the laminate increases exponentially as the temperature increases, but the saturation rate decreases, and the corrosion rate of the laminate increases; the increase in the number of plies of the laminate affects the increase in the time to reach the saturation rate of the laminate, and the diffusion coefficient increases; the service performance of 6-layer laminate is better in the same hygrothermal environment.

Dimerizing Lawsone into Bis-lawsone to Counter Solubility and Attain Facile Zn2+ Ion Diffusion for Stable Capacity in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Given the higher volumetric capacity of Zn (5853 mAh cm−3), aqueous zinc-ion batteries can be considered as alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for energy storage applications. Here we focus on redox-active, non-toxic, and eco-friendly organic materials with quinone moiety, i.e., Lawsone (LS) and its dimer Bis-lawsone (BL), as a cathode material for Zn-ion batteries. The reversibility of LS and BL is confirmed by cyclic voltammetry between 0.3 and 1.6 V in zinc sulfate and zinc triflate electrolytes. The electrochemical performance of BL in the zinc triflate electrolyte is improved by the reduction in the solubility of BL in the electrolyte and improvement in Zn2+ diffusion in the BL matrix. Besides, it is known that Zn electrodes passivate better in zinc triflates, which contributes to improved plating/stripping of Zn. The dimerization strategy counteracts solubility and facilitates the diffusion of Zn2+, resulting in a stable charge–discharge with a specific capacity of 200 mAh g–1. The cell attained 77% of the theoretical capacity at a current density of 100 mA g–1. Zn-BL cells show fast kinetics and reversibility for up to 760 cycles retaining 85% of initial capacity despite the partial solubility of BL in electrolytes. In addition, the Nafion-212 membrane is introduced as a separator instead of a traditional glass fiber separator. The negatively charged backbone of Nafion helps eliminate the crossover problem by coulostatic repulsion with negatively charged BL and LS.

Optimization of Dispersions in GeO2-doped Photonic Crystal Fibers with Square Lattice

Germanium doped photonic crystal fibers with differences in the layers' air hole diameters in the cladding are presented to obtain flat dispersion, small effective mode area, and low attenuation property for supercontinuum generation applications. The flatness and small value of the dispersion depend on the lattice geometry when the fibers have the same germanium doping concentration. The dispersion of the square lattice fibers is a flatter and smaller value at the pump wavelength than the circular lattice fibers. Square lattice fibers with Ʌ = 0.9 µm, d1/Ʌ = 0.4 and Ʌ = 1.0 µm, d1/Ʌ = 0.45 are proposed for supercontinuum generation which has anomalous and all-normal dispersion, respectively. Their small dispersion values of 0.449 ps /nm.km and −1.096 ps/nm.km are suitable for broad spectrum supercontinuum generation. The small effective mode area and low attenuation of the two fibers of 3.221 µm2, 2.361 µm2 and 1.805×10−7 dB/m, 1.322×10−15 dB/m, respectively are favorable conditions for choosing a laser pump sources with low peak power. The proposed fibers can be new supercontinuum generation source replacing traditional glass core fibers.

Effect of accelerated weathering on the performance of natural fibre reinforced recyclable polymer composites and comparison with conventional composites

This work investigated the long-term performance of unidirectional (UD) flax fibre reinforced recyclable polymer composites (FFRPs), after accelerated weathering for a total of 56 days, in laboratory environment. The employed recyclable polymer matrices were a bio-based epoxy and a liquid thermoplastic acrylic resin. The performance of the developed composites, were compared with traditional UD glass fibre composites (GFRPs), employing a standard petro-based epoxy resin, in terms of flexural and viscoelastic properties, while visual inspection and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were employed to investigate further the effects of ageing after exposure. It was revealed that the reinforcing fibres dominated the performance of the composites after ageing, whilst the choice of polymer matrix exhibited less influence.

New Mg/Sr phosphate bioresorbable glass system with enhanced sintering properties

Phosphate glasses are ideal candidates to substitute traditional silicate bioactive glasses as they can exhibit controlled ion release. Furthermore, phosphate glasses possess congruent dissolution and also resistance to crystallization, two properties that are favorable for the processing of 3D porous scaffolds. However, most of the phosphate glasses also exhibit a fast dissolution rate, which is inappropriate for bone tissue regeneration. In this context, a new bioresorbable phosphate glass within the 45P2O5- 2.5B2O3- 2.5SiO2- 10Na2O- 20CaO- (20-x) SrO- (x)MgO (in %mol) composition was developed. Magnesium is substituted for strontium in order to promote bone formation but in the present study, its role is mainly to favor sintering at lower temperatures without crystallization. The in vitro dissolution in simulated body fluid was assessed for glass particles <38 μm (pH, ICP, SEM-EDS). All glasses were found bioresorbable, rather than bioactive. The newly developed phosphate glasses containing Sr and Mg were found to have a slower dissolution rate when compared to traditional metaphosphate glasses while maintaining their congruent dissolution and hot forming ability. All glasses were 3D printed into scaffolds with controlled pore size and without apparent crystallization. The substitution of SrO for MgO was shown to be highly effective in enhancing the sintering ability of the material by enabling sintering at lower temperatures while avoiding the risk of crystallization leading to the processing of scaffolds with mechanical properties, in compression, above that of the cancellous bone.

Development of high-entropy metallic glass matrix composites with enhanced compressive mechanical properties at elevated temperatures

Metallic glass matrix composites (MGMCs) have received intensive attention due to their higher strength at room temperature compared with traditional metallic glasses. However, they suffer from lose of strength and microstructural instability at elevated temperatures due to softening and crystallization of the glass matrix. Here, a novel Ti-Zr-Hf-Nb-Ta-Cu-Be high-entropy MGMCs with improved high-temperature mechanical properties was developed through the multi-principle element alloying strategy of refractory elements, which effectively retards the degradation of high-temperature mechanical properties compared with traditional MGMCs. The results provide an effective route to design high-performance high-entropy MGMCs for the potential application in a wide temperature range.

Testing and comparison of an active dry wall with PCM against a traditional dry wall in a relevant operational environment

As the building stock plays an essential role in meeting Europe’s climate target, suitable strategies are necessary for the sector transition. This paper compares two dry-multi-layer walls characterized by different compositions: one applies heat reflective insulation with Phase Change Materials (PCM), while the second uses traditional glass wool batt. The experimental tests were conducted in a retrofitted building, the VELUXlab, a multi-testing laboratory located at Politecnico di Milano University (Italy), as one of the main outputs of the TEPORE project granted by the Lombardy Region. The temperatures and Heat Flux were measured through sensors between the inner and outer surfaces of the traditional wall (Dry Wall) and the false-wall with PCM (Active Dry Wall). The goal was to compare the two technologies evaluating the performance during daytime and nighttime in the winter season. Outcomes showed the advantages of the PCM application on space heating energy needs, revealing that their integration into the false-wall decreases the temperature by 1°C for a 30-40% thermal savings in the building envelope heat losses per week during cold seasons compared to the traditional wall. The study reveals that the PCM layer reduced the peak Heat Flux by 2.67 W/m2 during the accumulation and release period.

High-Q lasing in Nd3+-doped phosphate glass microsphere resonators.

Nd3+-doped glasses are the most widely used laser gain media. However, Nd3+-doped non-silica microsphere lasers generally have lower quality (Q) factors due to the presence of non-radiative energy-loss impurities in traditional glass systems. In this work, we report the first, to the best of our knowledge, Nd3+-doped phosphate glass microsphere laser with the highest Q-factor of 1.54 × 106 among all Nd3+-doped non-silica glass microsphere lasers. Whispering gallery modes in the 1020-1120-nm band can be obtained for a typical microsphere with a diameter of 82.57 µm. When the pump power exceeds the threshold of 0.17 mW, single- and multi-mode microsphere lasing can be generated under 808-nm laser diode (LD) pumping. Typical Q-factors of the phosphate glass microspheres can reach 106, which is at least an order of magnitude higher than those of other Nd3+-doped non-silica glass microsphere lasers. The Nd3+-doped phosphate glass microsphere laser reported in this work can be considered as an active optical/photonic device with low pump thresholds.

Hybrid Steel/NSM/GFRP System versus GFRP Wrapping for Upgrading RC Wall-like Columns.

Reinforced concrete (RC) wall-like columns are commonly employed in structures in Saudi Arabia. These columns are preferred by architects owing to their minimum projection in the usable space. However, they often need strengthening due to several reasons, such as the addition of more stories and increasing the live load as a result of changing the usage of the building. This research aimed to obtain the best scheme for the axial strengthening of RC wall-like columns. The challenge in this research is to develop strengthening schemes for RC wall-like columns, which are favored by architects. Accordingly, these schemes were designed so that the dimensions of the column cross-section are not increased. In this regard, six wall-like columns were experimentally examined in the event of axial compression with zero eccentricity. Two specimens were not retrofitted to be used as control columns, whereas four specimens were retrofitted with four schemes. The first scheme incorporated traditional glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) wrapping, while the second one utilized GFRP wrapping combined with steel plates. The last two schemes involved the addition of near-surface mounted (NSM) steel bars combined with GFRP wrapping and steel plates. The strengthened specimens were compared with regard to axial stiffness, maximum load, and dissipated energy. Besides column testing, two analytical approaches were suggested for computing the axial capacity of tested columns. Moreover, finite element (FE) analysis was performed for evaluating the axial load versus displacement response of tested columns. As an outcome of the study, the best strengthening scheme was proposed to be used by practicing engineers for axial upgrading of wall-like columns.

Effect of monodisperse mesoporous bioactive glass spheres (MBGs) on the mechanical properties and bioactivity of dental composites

Secondary caries is one of the main reasons for the failure of dental resin composites, and adding bioactive fillers such as bioactive glass and amorphous calcium phosphate to the resin composites has been proved to be an effective solution for this problem. In the present study, we investigated the effect of monodisperse mesoporous bioactive glass spheres (MBGs) we prepared on the mechanical properties and bioactivity of dental resins. The results revealed that compared with traditional bioactive glass (BG), MBGs fillers significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of the dental resin composites, whether they were added alone or as functional fillers together with nonporous silica particles. The dental resins filled with bimodal fillers (mass ratio of MBGs: nonporous silica = 10:50, total filler loading 60 wt%) exhibited the best mechanical performance. Their flexural strength was 37.66% higher than the samples with BG at the same filling proportion. Furthermore, the prepared MBGs possessed excellent monodispersity and sufficient apatite formation performance, and the biocompatibility of the composites were also improved by MBGs fillers. These suggest the potential use of the prepared MBGs as multifunctional fillers for the improvement of the performance of dental resins.

A Study on the Identification of Glass Artefacts Based on Multiple Logistic Regression

In this paper, traditional glass artefacts are classified into four categories, and the common factors obtained from factor analysis are used to solve a multivariate logistic regression model to avoid the 'pseudo-regression' caused by multiple covariance, and then predict the unknown types of glass artefacts. The BP neural network structure was also constructed based on the data, and the optimal solution was obtained after 1000 iterations using Bayesian regularization to minimize the sum of squares of the errors, provided that 10 neurons were used. The glass samples were identified to belong to the categories of unweathered high potassium, weathered lead barium, unweathered lead barium, unweathered lead barium, weathered lead barium, weathered high potassium, weathered high potassium and unweathered lead barium.

Fiber-Fed 3D Printing of Germanate Glass Optics

In recent years, 3D printing glass optics has gained massive attention in industry and academia since glass could be an ideal material to make optical elements, including the lens. However, the limitation of materials and printing methods has prevented 3D printing glass optics progress. Therefore, we have developed a novel printing strategy for germanate glass printing instead of pure silica. Moreover, compared with traditional multi-component quartz glass, germanate glass has unmatched advantages for its mid-infrared (MIR) transparency and outstanding visible light imaging performance. Furthermore, compared with non-oxide glass (fluoride glass and chalcogenide glass), germanate glass has much better mechanical, physical, and chemical properties and a high refractive index. Germanate glass has been widely applied in remote sensing, ranging, environmental detection, and biomedical detection. However, it is difficult to shape, cast, polish, and grind for optical and photonics applications such as imaging optics and laser-collimation optics. These drawbacks have made germanate glass inaccessible to complex optical elements and greatly increased their cost. In this report, we use germanate glass fibers with a diameter of 125 µm based on fiber-fed laser heating technology to fabricate an mm-size optical application. In this paper, we combine the fiber-fed laser heating technology with an optimized temperature control process to manufacture high-precision optical elements. Germanate glass optics can be printed with excellent visible light and IR transparency and a smooth surface with roughness under 4 nm. By optimizing the layer-by-layer 3D printing process and the thermal feedback in the printing process, we avoid cracks and minimize surface deformation. This work shows the possibility of the mm-size glass optical elements 3D printing and widens its application for IR optics.

Assessing the influence of glass properties on cabin solar heating and range of an electric vehicle using a comprehensive system model

As consumer adoption and total energy consumption of electric vehicles continues to rapidly increase, it is important to develop comprehensive system modeling frameworks that consider the complex interactions of their mechanical, electrical, and thermal subsystems to guide component technology development. In this study, such a comprehensive system model of a generic long-range electric vehicle is developed and used specifically to assess the influence of cabin glass radiative properties on vehicle performance. The system model incorporates simplified models for all salient components in the electric traction drive, cabin HVAC, and battery subsystems, and uses a higher fidelity cabin thermal model that is able to capture the individual properties of the cabin glass used in the vehicle. The system performance is evaluated under a dynamic NEDC drive cycle which is repeated until battery depletion to determine a vehicle range. The system model is used to study five different glazing design cases, each corresponding to different transmission and reflection properties of the glass, by predicting their impact on the vehicle range. The cases span all theoretically possible glass properties while also enabling inspection of practical glass technologies that are available or under development to be adopted in modern electric vehicles. The influence of glass on vehicle range is then further compared at various locations across the United States to understand and illustrate the effects of ambient conditions and solar load. The system model predicts a vehicle range of 188.5 miles under a high solar loading scenario typical for Phoenix, AZ using traditional glass properties, which increases to a range of 221.6 miles using high-performance glass properties, representing a significant potential gain of 33.1 miles using technologies available on the market today. Under this same loading scenario, the glass properties at their extreme physical limits could theoretically affect the vehicle range by up to 92.5 miles. The influence of the glass properties is location-specific, and the model predicts that using the same glass at different locations can affect the range of vehicle by up to 100.8 miles for traditional glass properties and 73.4 miles for high-performance glass properties.