RE: [ATM] 3M aluminate glass (was: IBM and glass)

[Woodchuck <djv@bedford.net>]

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004, Michael Warne wrote:

> Was it glass made from Aluminum?
>
> http://physicsweb.org/article/news/8/8/9
>
> Mike.

Yessir it was, and thank you.

It was 3M doing the research.  This is very interesting research,
and should stimulate some talk among the ceramicists on the list.

This is the abstract:

"Scientists in the US have developed a novel technique to make bulk
quantities of glass from alumina for the first time. Anatoly
Rosenflanz and colleagues at 3M in Minnesota used a "flame-spray"
technique to alloy alumina (aluminium oxide) with rare-earth metal
oxides to produce strong glass with good optical properties. The
method avoids many of the problems encountered in conventional glass
forming and could, say the team, be extended to other oxides (A
Rosenflanz et al. 2004 Nature 430 761).'

This is a sort of sintering technique.  Maybe cheap mirror blanks
will re-appear?  I dunno, not a ceramicist.  Comments?

Temperatures appear to be around 1000C for the sintering and
pressures "lower" than the previously needed 1 gigapascal.

I can fantasize this being used to sinter one-piece lightweight
"cellular" mirror blanks down the road.

Dave


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