Advancing glasses through fundamental research

Fundamental research is critical for enabling future breakthroughs in glass science and technology. This is especially true as we approach a new decade of glass research, when addressing technological challenges will require an unprecedented knowledge of structure–property relationships and of the thermodynamics and kinetics of the glassy state. Proper understanding of these issues can be gained only through advances in our knowledge of the physics and chemistry of the glassy state.Recent advances in modeling and simulation have enabled researchers to study glass physics and chemistry at the atomic level. Molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations have proved invaluable for understanding the relationships between glass structure and properties. More recently, a master equation approach has been applied in the energy landscape framework to allow for direct simulation of glass transition range behavior on a laboratory time scale.Furthermore, recent experimental studies have led to a great growth in our understanding of pressure effects in glass. In particular, distinct types of glassy phases can be produced using the same composition but different pressure conditions. This effect, dubbed “polyamorphism,” has provided a new depth to our understanding of the thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of glass.