A new type of glass known as LionGlass has been developed by researchers at Penn State University, and is set to slash carbon emissions during the manufacturing process by an almost whopping 50%. This reduction is made possible because the melting point is much lower for the new material (around 350 degrees celsius lower) thus less energy is needed to produce it compared to current materials. Of course, this is great news. However, that’s not all this new glass has to offer.
In addition to being able to significantly reduce carbon emissions, LionGlass is also much stronger than its counterparts. But just how much stronger? Well, according to researchers at Penn State University, their new glass is up to ten times stronger than standard soda lime glass. As of now, it can withstand a force of up to one kilogram. Pretty impressive, right? Of course, this ability could give it a lot of real life applications and benefits in the real world — yet another positive impact.
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John Mauro, Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State and lead researcher on the project exprepressed just how far he thinks its capabilities could go: “Think about all the ways we rely on the strength of glass, in the automotive industry and electronics industry, architecture, and communication technology like fiber optic cables. Even in health care, vaccines are stored in strong, chemically resistant glass packaging.”
Of course, much more testing needs to be done. However, the production of this new glass is certainly a positive step in the right direction.