The Usable Glass Strength Coalition (UGSC) recently announced it has awarded $110,000 for a grant to Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa., to carry out research that aims to improve the understanding of manufactured glass products’ strength properties.

“We are fortunate to be able to fund groundbreaking research that is only possible at institutions such as Penn State that have both the facilities and the technical minds capable of solving the fundamental science behind the factors that control the strength of glass,” said Pete McGinnis, UGSC Board chairman and Glass Science and Technology leader at Owens Corning.

The research, which will focus on controlling and understanding reactive surface sites on multi-component glasses, will be led by co-principle investigators, Seong H. Kim, Ph.D., professor of chemical engineering and associate professor of materials science and engineering, and Carlo Pantano, Ph.D., distinguished professor of materials science and engineering. The study intends to characterize the distribution and chemical nature of reactive surface sites on glass that nucleate strength-controlling defects.

“Glass strength is a grand challenge for both industry and academia,” Pantano said. “It will take time and multiple approaches, but working together we have a chance to meet the challenge, and at the same time, train the next generation of glass scientists and engineers.

For more information, visit www.gmic.org.