Characterization of glasses made using aerolevitation

This presentation will explore the formation and characterization of glasses using aerolevitation, a containerless technique in which spherical beads are levitated and melted without the use of a crucible. By avoiding many of the limitations of traditional glassmaking methods, aerolevitation enables temperatures up to 3000 °C, reduces contamination, and inhibits heterogeneous crystallization.

The seminar will provide an overview of the fundamental principles of the technique, including non-equilibrium conditions, stress-induced crystallization, and in situ characterization methods. Particular attention will be devoted to high-temperature thermophysical measurements, such as density, viscosity, and surface tension, together with the experimental challenges associated with these analyses.

The talk will also present examples of novel crystalline materials produced through aerolevitation and, time permitting, will introduce some of the ongoing research activities at the Center for the Study of Glass at Coe College.

Work supported by the United States National Science Foundation under grant numbers DMR-0904615, DMR-1262315, DMR-1746230, and MRI-0922924. 

Speaker

Prof. Mario Affatigato obtained his undergraduate degree from Coe College in 1989, followed by his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1995. He has developed a research effort primarily investigating the relationship between the optical properties and structure of glassy materials. He has worked with over 90 undergraduates in projects that include laser-induced modification and exotic manufacturing methods like aerolevitation. His research primarily deals with oxide glasses, especially vanadates, borates, and samples with heavy metals.

Prof. Affatigato is a past recipient of the APS Prize for Research at an Undergraduate Institution, a PECASE award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), as well as other research grants from industry, NSF and the Research Corporation in support of his work.

He is the President of The American Ceramic Society and fellow of the UK Society of Glass Technology, and a Research Corporation Cottrell Scholar.  Currently he holds the Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professorship at Coe College, and is the Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Applied Glass Science.