Though the tradition of creating grand stained-glass windows is less common than it was before, the art form remains an important part of our culture today. In April 2024, CTT is running a special three-part series on stained glass. Part 1 overviews the techniques used to create stained glass.
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With Ukrainian clay in short supply and high demand, tile manufacturers are considering reformulating their tiles based on clay in local deposits. Researchers in Italy conducted a comprehensive characterization of two iron-rich Italian clays to determine their suitability for porcelain stoneware production.
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Mass producing long, high-quality semiconductor fibers for use in wearable technology is challenging. Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore identified the ideal combination of materials and processing parameters to achieve consistent production of ultrathin, ultralong, high-quality semiconductor fibers using the molten-core method.
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Tiny crystals give solar panels a glow-up, glass thermal insulation, and other materials stories that may be of interest for March 27, 2024.
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In August 2023, researchers at the Federal University of São Carlos in Brazil conducted preliminary tests on the potential of metakaolin-derived geopolymer binders to replace calcium aluminate cement binders in high-alumina refractory castables. A new follow-up study confirms this potential.
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Materials that can display superconductivity are extremely rare in nature, and to date, no naturally occurring mineral was known to display unconventional superconductivity. Researchers led by Ames National Laboratory discovered that miassite, which previously was identified as a superconductor, actually displays unconventional superconductivity.
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In honor of Women’s History Month, CTT shines a light on the PBS special “The Sun Queen,” which documents the life and research of Hungarian–American chemical engineer and inventor Mária Telkes, who helped advance the field of solar technology.
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Wastewater heats homes, soft support for stable glass, and other materials stories that may be of interest for March 20, 2024.
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The Great Depression in the United States (1929–1939) led glassmakers to pivot from producing fine crystal to manufacturing glassware pieces that could be pressed in large quantities with machines. The MacBeth–Evans Glass Company in Pittsburgh was one of many companies producing these so-called “Depression” glasses, and its history is covered in today’s CTT.
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Finnish startup Polar Night Energy, which developed and installed its first commercial-scale “sand battery” energy storage system in 2022, is now collaborating with Finnish district heating company Loviisan Lämpö to build an industrial-scale sand battery system in Pornainen, Finland.
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