Vitro Architectural Glass has signed a research agreement with Penn State to scale up LionGlass, a patent-pending glass technology, for use in flat glass applications across architectural and automotive markets. LionGlass aims to cut the carbon footprint of glass manufacturing in half by lowering the melting temperature of glass by about 400 degrees Celsius and eliminating the use of carbonate materials. It is also more damage resistant, in some cases reaching ten times the crack resistance of conventional glass.
Adam Polcyn, Vice President of Research and Development at Vitro Architectural Glass, said, “Partnering with Penn State gives us access to world-class materials science expertise and a deep legacy of innovation in glass research. This team’s collaborative spirit and technical excellence make them an ideal partner for advancing the future of glass.”
The project, which runs through July 2028, will focus on adapting LionGlass for the float process, the standard method for producing flat glass. John Mauro, co-inventor of LionGlass and Head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State, said, “This is more than just a research agreement. It’s a partnership that could redefine how glass is made.”
The partnership reflects a long history of glassmaking in Pennsylvania, with Vitro operating four float glass lines in the state. As part of the agreement, Vitro will send an employee, Daniel Kramer, to pursue a doctorate at Penn State and work on the project. Kramer will lead the research alongside Nicholas Clark, Assistant Research Professor at Penn State and co-inventor of LionGlass.
The team will evaluate LionGlass’s compatibility with industrial float processes and optimise its composition for flat glass applications, testing its compatibility with various downstream processes used in architectural, automotive, and solar glass markets.
