A bright future for glass - ceramics

G lass-ceramics were discovered – somewhat accidently – in 1953. Since then, many exciting papers have been published and patents granted related to glass-ceramics by research institutes, universities and companies worldwide. Glass-ceramics (also known as vitrocerams, pyrocerams, vitrocerâmicos, vitroceramiques and sittals) are produced by controlled crystallization of certain glasses – generally induced by nucleating additives. This is in contrast with spontaneous surface crystallization, which is normally not wanted in glass manufacturing. They always contain a residual glassy phase and one or more embedded crystalline phases. The crystallinity varies between 0.5 and 99.5 percent, most frequently between 30 and 70 percent. Controlled ceramization yields an array of materials with interesting, sometimes unusual, combinations of properties. From their glorious past, starting with their accidental discovery, to successful commercial products, the impressive range of properties and exciting potential applications of glass-ceramics indeed ensure a bright future!