Recycling green technology: Microwave radiation facilitates deconstruction and reuse of solar panels
Semiconductor processing could benefit from the use of microwaves, which allows materials to be annealed faster and more selectively. Now, researchers in Australia demonstrated another benefit—it would make the deconstruction and reuse of solar panel components easier.
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Photonic crystals are manufactured structures used in many advanced optical devices to control the flow of light. Researchers in Italy and the U.S. discovered that an ancient Roman glass fragment naturally formed a photonic crystal structure on its surface through environmental weathering.
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The 84th Conference on Glass Problems welcomed almost 400 attendees to Columbus, Ohio, from Nov. 6–8, 2023. The conference featured numerous talks highlighting ways to improve the efficiency of the glass production process, from raw materials selection to flue gas cleanup.
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In recent years, several glass companies have started experimenting with replacing natural gas with hydrogen in glass production. The results from these tests are promising.
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In recent decades, researchers have explored using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a scaffold for programmable nanostructures. Now, researchers at Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, and Brookhaven National Laboratory collaborated to show that glass-coated DNA scaffolds have potential as lightweight and high-strength materials.
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Bioactive glass offers numerous benefits as a coating material for metallic implants, but achieving strong adhesion between the glass and implant is a challenge. University of Barcelona researchers explored several strategies for improving the adhesion strength of bioactive glass coatings deposited using atmospheric plasma spraying.
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The increasing frequency and severity of hailstorms puts solar panels at risk of damage. Researchers in India and Hong Kong explored the role that front glass thickness plays in improving the hail resistance of solar panels.
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Lenticular printing, or a method to produce printed images that change or move depending on viewing angle, typically uses plastic as the medium. Artist Rufus Butler Seder developed a way to create glass-based lenticular images, and his murals appear in public places around the world.
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The expansion of real-time translation apps is bringing the benefits of subtitles to real-life conversations. In February 2023, the integration of these apps into everyday dialogue took a step forward with the beta release of a new product called TranscribeGlass, which attaches to your glasses and projects real-time captions in front of your eyes.
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Car windows that are damaged beyond repair have to date been reused for less demanding purposes, such as bottles or insulation. A pilot project led by the Audi Group showed defective car glass can be recycled successfully back into new windshields, and the company plans to shift this glass into standard production starting September 2023.
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