MSE 590 Glass Science
This course aims at teaching the unique characteristics of the glassy state, and to describe their role in the processing, application and engineering performance of amorphous materials and glass products. The course will teach the fundamental concepts of amorphous structure, and then utilize them to establish structure-property relations in various glass systems and how they are useful in containing nuclear wastes. The viscosity, thermal expansion, chemical durability, strength behavior, and optical properties of silicate glasses will be emphasized, although the important properties of phosphate, halide and chalcogenide glasses will not be overlooked. Also included will be phenomenological descriptions of glass formation, liquid-liquid immiscibility, viscous flow, structural relaxation, stress relaxation and crystallization in glass. Various methods for the synthesis of glass will be reviewed (melting, CVD and sol/gel), along with important manufacturing processes for commercial glass products. Throughout the course, the applications of glass and glass components in nuclear waste management will be stressed