Glass

GLASS DIVISION has been serving the country with a mandate to develop specialty glasses for civil and advance technology applications as well as extending services to country’s glass industry in lab scale trial glass meltings, testing and quality assurance of their products in line with the mission and vision of this institute.

 For decades, Glass Division has developed various application oriented specialty glasses and glass-ceramics namely colored signal glasses, radiophotoluminescent (RPL) glasses, filter glasses, new generation lanthanum bearing optical glasses, rare-earth doped luminescent glasses, micronutrient glass fertilizers, graded refractive index (GRIN) glasses, fullerene (C₆₀)/CNT doped glasses, tellurite glasses, fluorophosphate glasses, transparent nanocrystalline glass-ceramics, machineable glass-ceramics, honey-comb cordierite glass-ceramics, lead-free environmentally friendly, low cost glass powders and pastes for new generation of Plasma Display Panels (PDP) etc.

 Currently, the Division is engaged in various R & D activities such as chalcogenide based non-oxide glasses for IR optics and thermal imaging, rare earth doped glasses & glass-ceramics, Mid-Infrared transparent oxide glasses and transparent glass thinfilms for photonics, optoelectronics and integrated devices, phosphor-in-glass (PIG) for white LEDs, Ionic conducting glasses as electrolytes for solid state batteries, thermally stable and recyclable sealiant glasses for SOFC, bioactive glasses and glass-ceramics with antibacterial property etc. Glass division is also involved in the indigenous development of Nd-doped phosphate laser glass for high power laser applications and optical glasses for space optics to meet the requirement of strategic sectors.

• Nd³⁺ doped Phosphate glasses
• Optical glasses
• Chalcogenide glasses for infrared optics and IR photonic devices
• Rare earth doped glass and glass-Ceramics for Photonic applications
• NASICON based glass electrolytes for solid state battery applications
• MIR transparent non-conventional oxide glass and glass ceramics for MIR photonics
• Bioactive glass and glass ceramics with antibacterial properties
• Crystallization kinetics of glasses
• Transparent glass thinfilms for planar waveguide and integrated photonics
• Phosphors-in-glass for white light LED
• Antimicrobial coatings on glass
• Thermally cyclable sealant glasses for SOFC applications

• Process technology for production of Radiophotoluminescent (RPL) glass. Manufacturing process technology was transferred to the industry.
• Lead-free environment-friendly glass powders and pastes for Plasma Display Panel (PDP). Industrial collaborator: M/s Samtel Color Ltd., Ghaziabad, UP.
• Energy efficient soda lime silicate glass compositions using borax pentahydrate.
• Novel soda lime silicate glass composition comprising colemanite.
• Thermally cyclable glass sealant composition for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell.
• Technology for As-Se based chalcogenide glass manufacturing and polishing

Ongoing Projects

Completed Projects

Consultancy/Service Provided to the Industries:

• M/s Saint Gobain Glass India Ltd, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
• M/s Hindustan National Glass & Industries Ltd, West Bengal
• M/s GOA Glass, Goa.
• M/s Samtel Color Ltd., Ghaziabad, U.P.
• M/s Innovative Material Technologies Ltd., Jaipur
• M/s Lensel Optics, Pune
• M/s Gold Plus Glass Industry limited, New Delhi
• M/s Gujarat Guardian Limited, Gujarat
• M/s Asahi India Glass Limited, India

Architectural Glass Research &Testing Facility (AGRT):

A joint initiative of CSIR-CGCRI and Glazing Society of India (GSI) for testing of energy performance of architectural glass, glazing systems

• Energy Performance testing of Architectural Glass and DGU.
• Float glass testing as per IS 14900:2018
• Safety and Structural Performance testing of Architectural Glass

Energy Performance Testing:

• Solar Direct Transmittance
• Solar Direct Reflectance (External)
• Light Direct Reflectance (Internal)
• UV Transmittance
• Shading Co-efficient (SC)
• Emissivity & U Value
• Solar Factor (SHGC)
• Light Direct Reflectance (External)
• Light Direct Transmittance,
• Solar Direct Reflectance (Internal)

Float glass testing as per standard IS 14900: 2018

• UV test to identify the tin side of float glass
• Determination of visual light transmittance

 Humidity controlled laboratory for special glass melting

Salient features:

• Maximum melting Temperature: 1500^oC
• Furnace Type: Raising hearth for glass melting and box type muffle furnace for annealing and heat treatment.
• Control: PID (Eurotherm)
• Working Humidity (minimum): 20 % RH

 Glass melting furnaces

 Salient features:

• Maximum Temperature: 1700^oC
• Furnace Type: Raising hearth for glass melting and box type muffle furnace for annealing and heat treatment.
• Control: PID (Eurotherm)

High Temperature Observation Furnace
(Make: M/s Glass Service Inc., Czech Republic; Model: GPI system-XP/D)

 Salient features:

• Furnace Tempmax. : 1600^oC
• High temp observation: Image analyser with digital camera
• Capabilities : can capture the complete course of batch melting and refining process
• Behavior of single bubble during glass melting
• Bubble growth and shrinkage
• The glass forming process
• Reboiling temperature, the dissolution of solid bodies in glass melt
• Measurement of surface tension

Microwave furnace 1600^oC
(M/S SAIREM, France)

 Salient features:
Processing chamber: 304 stainless steel, cavity size of 427x427x488 mm
Temperature measurement: Infrared Pyrometer (350-1600^oC)

• MW output power: 0.6 to 6 kW, multimode microwave furnace
• Frequency: 2.45 GHz
• Atmosphere of operation: Air/ inert/ reducing ( 5% H₂ with N₂)

Rocking Furnace
(Make: Deltech, USA)

 Salient features:

• Max temperature: 1000^oC
• Rocking about 45 degree in both ways
• Equipped with Auto quenching mechanism

Planar Magnetron DC Sputtering Unit
(Make: Hind High Vaccum Co.Pvt.Ltd, Bangalore, India; Model: 12″ MSPT)

 Salient features:

• High Vaccum Coating Unit for metal Contacts.

Interferometer
(Make: M/s Zygo corporation, USA; Model: GPI system-XP/D)

 Salient features:

• Measurement : Flatness and bulk optic homogeneity
• Test beam : 4 inch (102 mm) to 6 inch (152 mm)
• Accuracy : up to 10-6 homogeneity
• Resolution : better than l/8,000
• Samples : size -10 mm -6″ flats/bulk 

Polarimeter
(Make: M/s Strainoptics Inc., USA; Model: DIAS-1600)

 Salient features:

• Equipped with : Digital image analysis system with software
• Measurement : Residual stress or Retardation
• Range : -140 to 140 nm/mm in H.S mode || 0 to 285 nm/mm in STD mode
• Viewing area : 75 mm
• Samples : Transparent solids (transparency above 50 %)

Prism coupler
(Make: M/s Metricon Corporation, USA; Model: 2010/M)

 Salient features:

• Equipped with five lasers : 473,532,633,1064 and 1550nm
  (as light sources)
• RI Measurement range : 1 – 3.1
• Accuracy : 0.0001
• Capable of measuring waveguide loss for 633 – 1600 nm
• Samples : solids (thin films, bulk plates)

UV-Vis-NIR Fluorescence Spectrophotometer
(Make: M/s Photon Technology International; Model: custom configuration)

 Salient features:

• Wavelength range – Ex : 200-1000nm || Em : 200-2540nm
• Lifetime range : in microseconds to milliseconds
• Samples : solids (plates, powders etc.) and liquids

Raman Spectrometer
(Make: HORIBA Jobin Yvon, France; Model: Lab Ram HR 800 EV)

 Salient features:

• Range: 50 – 3000 cm^-1
• Excitation source: 785 nm diode laser and 480 nm Argon ion laser
• Equipped with LINKAM temperature controller (-150^oC to 600^oC)
• Samples: Bulk and Powders

UV-Vis-NIR Spectrometer
(Make: Perkin Elmer, USA; Model: LAMDA 950)

 Salient features:

• Wavelength range: 200 to 3200 nm
• Spectral mode: Absorbance, Transmittance and Reflectance (Specular and Diffuse)
• Equipped with 150 mm Integrating Sphere for diffuse Reflectance (250 to 2500 nm)
• Samples: Solids, Powders, films and Liquids 

FTIR Spectrometer
(Make: Perkin Elmer, USA; Model: Frontier FT-IR/FIR Spectrometer)

Salient features:

• Range: 30 – 700 cm^-1 (FIR region); 400 – 4000 cm^-1 (MIR region)
• Windows: KBr for MIR and Polyethylene for FIR region
• Samples: Bulk, Powder (Using KBr binder)
• Spectral mode: Absorbance, Transmittance and Reflectance

Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (DSC, DTA, TGA)
(Make: NETZSCH, Germany, Model: Jupiter)

 Salient features:

• Temp. Range: RT- 1650^oC
• Temp. Accuracy: 0.5^oC
• Windows based Thermal Analysis software: Proteus 6
• Measurement Mode: TG/DTA and TG/DSC with sensor based technology
• Equipped with Robotic arm for Auto Sample loading

Micro Hardness Tester
(Make: Clemex CMT, Canada; Model: MMT-X7)

 Salient features:

• Computer control micro-hardness tester
• Test method: Knoop and Vickers  

Optical microscopes
(Make: Olympus Japan; Model: BX51)

 Salient features:

• Equipped with Objective Lenses: 5X, 10X, 20X, 50X and 100X

List of technical staff members in GSTS

Name	Designation	Expertise
Ranjan Chakraborty	Principal Technical Officer	Furnace design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance. Design of Platinum wares for glass melting, mechanical light machineries, other technical jobs. Procurement of furnaces (resistance heating- raising hearth, muffle, vacuum; induction heating) and allied machineries for specialty glass production and processing.
Rana Dasgupta	Principal Technical Officer	Procurement, installation, commissioning and maintenance of mechanical light machineries, glass melting furnaces like muffle and rocking, glove box and vacuum system. Batch preparation including set up of chalcogenide glass melting facility. Silica glass ampoule joining and sealing under high vacuum using oxy-hydrogen torch. Technical supervision, operation of pilot plant which includes the operation of induction and oil fired furnaces relating to special glass melting and casting. Procurement of furnace and allied machineries for glass production and processing.
Biswarup Das	Senior Technical Officer (1)	Operation and installation of various types of furnaces. Operation of Induction furnace for specialty glasses production and operation of microwave furnace for glass melting. Glass sample production related activities. Procurement of utilities and consumables related to ongoing project activities.
Debarshi Paul	Senior Technical Officer (1)
Pratik Sarkar	Technical Officer	Operation of induction furnace for specialty glass production. Operation and maintenance of rocking furnaces and batch preparation in glove box for chalcogenide glass facility. Installation and commissioning of light machineries. Assisting in silica glass ampoule joining and sealing under high vacuum using oxy-hydrogen torch and other related technical jobs. Electrical maintenance of furnaces and related machinery.
Amar Ghorui	Technician (2)	Operation and maintenance of special type cutting, milling, lapping and polishing machines for specialty glass processing, operation and maintenance of distilled water plant and other technical jobs. Testing of glass by using Interferometer.
Reaj Hossain	Technician. (1)	Operation and maintenance of different types of furnaces, and machineries of specialty glass plant. Installation and commissioning of various furnaces of different project, operation of batch production unit of specialty glass plant. Operation of micro-hardness testing instrument for testing of hardness for different glass samples and other materials.

List of Scholars / Students

Name	Status	Project	Supervisor
Mr. Sakthi Prasad S	GATE-SRF	AcSIR Integrated M.Tech Ph.D. Student	Dr. K. Biswas
Mr. Sultan Khan	Project-JRF	GAP0158	Dr. K. Annapurna