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Annual commodity summary sees continued production value increases despite trade war
Continued tariffs, new trade agreements, increased production values—this year brought different successes and challenges for the nonfuel mineral industry, all of which are captured in the annual United States Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries report.1 The Mineral Commodity Summaries spotlights the events, trends, and issues that took place the previous…
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Coated glass for solar energy
Since Bell Labs announced the invention of the first practical silicon solar cell in 1954,1 solar photovoltaic systems have improved dramatically and are now one of the leading technologies in the shift to renewable energy.2 Much research on photovoltaic systems focuses on increasing the conversion efficiency of individual photovoltaic cells…
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Data-driven approaches to materials and process challenges: A new tool for the materials science field
The materials science industry is expected to grow significantly over the coming years. This growth, in itself, is not surprising because materials are at the center of every major challenge, from providing solutions to climate change and environmental issues to enabling developments in agriculture, healthcare, energy production, and transportation—even the…
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Application note: Bulk bag weigh batching controls compensate for terra cotta ingredient variations
Gladding, McBean (Lincoln, California) is a leading manufacturer of terra cotta products. Founded in 1875, the company mines clay from its own reserves and combines traditional methods with modern technology to create roof tiles, floor and paving tiles, clay pipe, ornamental pieces, and architectural elements for buildings. To streamline batching…
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Flexibility matters: High purity, thin, flexible alumina ribbon ceramic
Device manufacturers need innovative new materials to develop smarter, faster, and smaller next-generation electronic devices. Corning has invented a new generation of high-performance ceramic substrates in entirely new form factors that can help solve customer problems. We demonstrate a unique process able to make high-purity, thin, continuous ceramic ribbons with…
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Learning to fly: How training and workforce development are changing in the era of COVID-19
Building and maintaining a pipeline of talented and qualified workers was always a priority for manufacturers. Cultivating a skilled workforce able to adapt to changing technical needs is critical to staying competitive and continuing to grow. Always a challenge, finding and training qualified engineers and others who can thrive in…
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Commercially scalable, single-step polymer-derived reaction bonding synthesis of refractory ceramics
The unique essence of the “refractory ceramic” class of materials lies in the first word of the term: refractory. Its origin stems from the Latin refractarius, which, directly translated, means “stubborn.” This stubbornness most commonly applies to behavior of materials in extreme thermal environments. Refractory ceramics melt at very high…
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Latin America–Indigenous invention Ceramic researchers and companies pursue homegrown solutions to global challenges in Latin America
From a market perspective, Latin America is significantly bigger than you may realize. The Pew Research Center projects that Europe’s population will peak in 2021—and by 2037 will be eclipsed by Latin America and the Caribbean, which will grow to 768 million by 2058.1 Combine those demographics with newly published…
