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Wednesday, 1 November 2006 | Levent OZLER
Strength in Glass: Design Contest
Assume: Glass at 50 times today's strength!
What new products could be envisioned?
Sponsors: The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council, the International Commission on Glass, the Glass & Optical Materials Division of The American Ceramic Society, the Center for Glass Research and the NSF-International Materials Institute on New Functionality in Glasses.
Prizes: Three top prizes ($20,000 1st prize; $10,000 2nd prize, $5,000 3rd prize and six $2,500 honorable mentions). A total of $50,000 will be awarded for the best ideas submitted by students for new, innovative applications for glass based on a 50X improvement in the strength of manufactured glass.
Background: Currently, most of the glasses we use are multicomponent silicates. Engineering designers typically assume the "practical strengths" of these materials to be ~10,000 psi (70 MPa). Over the years, glass scientists and engineers have found different ways to strengthen glass. For example, thermal tempering is a process that can strengthen glass by a factor of two or three. Another process, called ion exchange or chemical strengthening can increase glass strength by a factor of 10.
Although these strengthening processes enhance the practical strength and mechanical reliability by 2-10X, they are not applicable to all products. Thus, there is a drive to enhance the intrinsic strength of glass by 50X through further composition or process optimization. Fortunately the 50X increase is very possible because it is still substantially below the theoretical strength of glass!
Instructions
Prepare a concept paper, no more than 4 typed pages (single spaced) including figures and tables, which focuses on one opportunity for, or potential impact of, products and components made from a glass whose practical strength (failure stress) is 500,000 psi (3.5 GPa). For example:
- New, revolutionary applications for glass enabled by the high strength.
- Improved performance of systems that rely on glass components or devices (e.g., automobile or building climate efficiency, fuel efficiency, security, or service life).
- Lower cost, higher efficiency manufacturing process where glass is handled (e.g., flat panel displays and other optical components).
- Energy savings for society as a result of reduced production or consumption of glass.
- Reduced environmental impact of glass production, finishing.
- Personal safety and an improved quality of life.
- Any new application for glass with a high market potential.
We are NOT asking for a description of HOW you will achieve the 50X strength enhancement. But rather, what new products, engineering opportunities or cost savings would emerge if such glass were available.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
Criteria
Applications must be made in English Language. The winning essays will focus on one potential application or opportunity. It will describe the concept in detail, and will provide a semi-quantitative justification for the proposed application, or systems improvement or cost savings. In order to be considered for a prize, the application or opportunity must be judged to be reasonable, marketable, and practical (within contest parameters) by a knowledgeable panel of judges.
Eligibility
Any undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled and in good standing at an institute of higher learning in ANY nation, and in ANY discipline. We encourage input from any engineering or science students, including life sciences disciplines, architects, artists, business majors, as well as any liberal arts majors. Team submissions are also acceptable. All product concepts submitted will be considered in the public domain and may be freely used by GMIC and/or its members without any claim of infringement by the submitting student. Any concepts already disclosed and patented are ineligible for this contest. GMIC retains the right to demand reimbursement of any prize money received from a student found to be in violation of the aforementioned rules.
Judging
A panel of judges has been selected by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council to represent a cross-section of scientists, engineers, technologists and business managers who understand the markets, chemistry, and strength properties of glass.
All entries must be submitted electronically no later than Midnight, May 1, 2007 to:
strongerglass  gmic.org
The top three winners will be invited to and announced at the International Commission on Glass's XXI Glass Congress in Strasbourg, France (2-6 July)
For additional information, please contact:
Glass Manufacturing Industry Council
Executive Assistant, Donna Ransom
Tel: +1-614-523-3033
E-Mail: dransom gmic.org
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