Specialty Glass Material Technologies and Innovations | Glass Materials Science | Corning

With glass, it's the science — and ongoing innovation — that solves difficult problems.

First created as early as 2000 B.C. in the form of decorative beads, glass has long been the standard material for containers, windows, and other essential items in daily life. The vast majority of glass produced in the world remains in this category — mostly from similar soda-lime compositions with a focus on low-cost mass production.

Scientific exploration of glass — and thus, the creation of advanced glass — is still a relatively new endeavor. Scientists first began studying the material in the 17th Century, and hundreds of years passed between significant innovations in specialty glass.

It wasn’t until companies like Corning began investing in dedicated research and development that advanced glass solutions became a powerful force in shaping industries and transforming lives. 

Corning leverages nearly 170 years of expertise in glass science to help improve scientists’ understanding of the fundamental nature of glass through deep research, relentless experimentation, and constant innovation, down to the molecular level. In doing so, they can exploit the versatility of the material and offer glass-based solutions to some of industry’s toughest problems.

These solutions include large, thin sheets of pristine glass that can be used for LCDs, tough cover glass for mobile phones, vessels for life sciences research, glass for automotive interiors and exteriors, and the continued evolution of optical communication technologies for new applications such as next-gen networks and data center solutions that enable faster connection speeds whether you’re at home or on the go.

Read featured facts about Glass Science.

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