LionGlass™

Revolutionary glass technology from Penn State University - stronger, lighter, and more sustainable

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Technology Overview

LionGlass is an entirely new type of glass that offers a more sustainable, drop-in replacement to standard soda lime glass. LionGlass significantly reduces the amount of energy used in glass manufacturing by lowering the glass melting temperature by up to 400ºC, while increasing damage resistance by ~10x. LionGlass also does not require the use of carbonate batch materials, eliminating the direct CO2 emission from glassmaking. The result is an innovation that enables lighter-weight glass products with significantly reduced CO2 emitted during manufacturing.

~50% Less Carbon Emissions

Accomplished via lowering melting temperature and eliminating use of carbonate materials.

~10x Higher Damage Resistance

Force required to induce cracking reduced by ~10x, demonstrated via Vickers indentation tests.

~30% Weight Reduction

More damage resistant glass means less glass material is needed, leading to lighter weight products.

Versatile Applications

LionGlass is a drop-in replacement for soda lime glass, meaning it has a broad array of uses, including architectural windows, automotive glazing, jars and bottles, and more.

Man Watching Live Football Match Smartphone

Displays

Young man scientist in glasses and gloves working on laboratory

Pharmaceuticals

Bundle of optical fibers with lights in the ends. Blue background.

Fiberglass

Close-up of transparent glass or plastic tubing coiled in a spiral pattern against a dark background

Glass Tubing

Electronics

Military

Automotive

Solar

Automated beer bottling process in brewery factory. Worker quality control on food industry

Food & Beverage

Three amber glass bottles of liquid, illuminated by sunlight.

Cosmetics

modern architecture, office building glass facade -

Architectural

Other Applications

Development Status

Multiple +100kg pilot production runs completed
Ongoing research to refine glass chemistry and prepare for manufacturing at scale

About the Inventors

John Mauro, Ph. D.

Dr. John Mauro is the Head of Penn State’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the lead inventor of LionGlass. Dr. Mauro is a renowned materials scientist with extensive industry experience, including as an inventor of Gorilla Glass. He is an author of multiple textbooks on glass science and holder of numerous patents in advanced materials.

Nicholas Clark, Ph. D.

Dr. Nicholas Clark is an Assistant Research Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Co-inventor of LionGlass. Dr. Clark oversees and directs the ongoing research and commercialization projects related to LionGlass within the Mauro Lab.