Glass: Characterizing with precision and efficiency
Friday, October 26, 2012 - 12:02
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org)—At home, in the car or with industrial processes – glass is a universal material. Its properties are so extraordinary that frequently there are no alternatives to this material. Take, for example, high-temperature fuel cells, in which layers of ceramics and metals are alternately attached to each other: to ensure no explosive hydrogen escapes, the metal and ceramic layers must be firmly bound to each other, and the seam must be sealed tight. Only glass can accomplish this type of seal – and here, we are specifically referring to solder glass. But how does glass behave at such high temperatures? To what extent does it enlarge? Until now, this question was investigated using a push rod, which pushes from the glass onto a cylinder.