R.C. Ropp
This book is designed to be useful to any person interested in learning about how glass breaks. The manuscript has been written to fill the gap that exists for a reference and study guide which details the practical usage and knowledge required to apply the art and science of Fractography to the shattering of glass articles.
Although a large number of scientific articles, compendiums and a few practical studies have been published in the open scientific literature, they do not address the knowledge and approaches mandatory to determine how and why any manufactured glass article shattered under a force it was meant to withstand.
Dr. Ropp has more than 45 years of diverse experience in the chemistry of materials, including glass and its preparation. His work has encompassed both CRT and lamp phosphors and the design of all types of lamps and display devices. His experience also includes electroluminescent and plasma discharges, flat panel displays and the measurement of optical properties of glasses and phosphors. Dr. Ropp was a researcher and general manager at Westinghouse, Allied Chemical and CPG. He also did private research into the development of the first polymeric glasses and performed crystal growth research on new laser crystals. He was a Consultant to three lamp companies and helped them develop high-intensity UV lamps for the tanning-bed industry.
Dr. Ropp was responsible for the original development of the red color-TV phosphor which made possible viewing color-TV under daylight intensity conditions. Before that time, color-TV could only be viewed in a darkened room. This phosphor is now used world-wide in all types of color-TV display panels. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Ropp has been involved as an Expert Witness in more than 150 cases. He has published 5 books previously concerning phosphors and their applications. He is a Fellow and "Certified Chemist" of The Royal Society of Chemistry (London)(London) and is a life-member of the American Ceramic Society.
When beginning a description of any subject, it is necessary to consider all of the factors involved including its history and subsequent development. This book gives a complete history of how glass was developed and its usage over the past 5000 years. Glass articles manufactured for commercial or in the home usage can be formed by at least three methods, blowing, pressing and drawing of the hot melt (sometimes, it is a combination of these three basic techniques). Additionally, this book describes how a specific glass product evolved and the protocol and practice that became the norm in its manufacture.
For example, the creation of glass bottles by blowing now uses a "hot-end" coating on the outside surface before annealing and a "cold-end" surface coating after annealing to protect against surface scratches during usage of the bottles. "Pressed-ware" usually concerns table-ware and other products for the home. And "glass-ceramics" have beome the standard product used for cook-ware because of their superior resistance to breakage when heat is applied to them. In the case of drawing, "float-glass" has become the prevailing practice for commercial manufacture of windows and mirrors. Nowadays, the use of e-glass for climate control within buildings and automobiles has become standard. Most glass used in buildings and houses where the glass is easily encountered by the public is now tempered. This book addresses all of these factors as well those directly related to glass breakage of these commercial products.
