Project information
Project manager
Sharafat Ali
Other project members
Jens Birk and Per Eklund- Linköping University and Bo Jonsson, Linnaeus University
Participating organizations
Linnaeus University, Linköping University
Financier
Åfork Projekt Nr: 14-45
Timetable
Oct 2014 – Dec 2016
Subject
Materials Science (with a focus on Glass Science), Department of Built Environment and Energy Technology, Faculty of Technology)
More about the project
Glass has long been a key material in our everyday lives—used in windows, smartphones, cars, and even medical equipment. However, conventional glass surfaces often lacked the durability, scratch resistance, or advanced functions needed for modern technologies. This project set out to change that by developing new types of glass surfaces with significantly improved properties.
The research focused on modifying float glass, the most common form of flat glass, by applying ultra-thin coatings made from a new class of materials called oxy-nitrides. These coatings consisted of silicon, oxygen, nitrogen, and alkaline earth metals such as magnesium, calcium, strontium, or barium. Using a technique called magnetron sputtering, the team was able to deposit these thin films uniformly onto the glass surface.
By incorporating nitrogen into the surface layers, the project successfully improved the glass’s scratch resistance, hardness, optical performance, and chemical stability. This made the modified glass more suitable for use in demanding applications such as architectural glazing, automotive glass, laser optics, camera lenses, and display technologies.
One of the project’s key achievements was the development and testing of entirely new thin-film compositions that had not previously been explored. These new materials showed excellent mechanical and optical characteristics and opened up the potential for lighter, stronger, and more energy-efficient glass products. The research also examined the economic feasibility of scaling up the process for industrial use.
Through close collaboration with leading academic and industrial partners, the project contributed valuable knowledge to the field of advanced materials. It also strengthened Sweden’s position in sustainable innovation and high-performance materials research, paving the way for future technological advances in glass science.
