Determining the degree of carbonation in a concrete structure allows for timely maintenance to avoid catastrophic failure. Researchers led by the University of São Paulo’s Physics Institute developed a luminescent material that can indicate the degree of carbonation in concrete structures in a nondestructive manner.
Read MoreThe effect niobium oxide has on the macroscopic properties of glass is reasonably well-known, but its specific structural role in glass remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, researchers from the Center for Research, Technology, and Education in Vitreous Materials in Brazil combined spectroscopic data on niobium-containing silicate glasses with advanced computational modeling.
Read MoreThe process by which a crystal nucleates and grows within a glass during heat treatments remains a conceptually ill-understood phenomenon. Researchers in Brazil developed a nuclear magnetic resonance strategy combined with atomistic computer simulations that allowed them to shed unprecedented light on the structural changes that take place in a glass during relaxation and crystal nucleation.
Read MorePlastic straws cannot be recycled to make new straws, but that does not mean straws are nonrecyclable. Researchers in Brazil looked at turning straws into anti-spalling fibers for refractory castables.
Read MoreThe São Carlos Center of Research, Technology and Education in Vitreous Materials (CeRTEV) conducts state-of-the art research, develops technology, and supports education and outreach efforts focused on glass and glass-ceramics. What has the center done in its first four years?
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