Transmaterial: May 2008

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Convex Glass

Convex Glass was produced and developed by Nathan Allan Glass Studios with the architectural firms Jason/Goldstein and Front Inc. in New York. Exploiting the potential for enhanced dimensionality in glass, the product is produced in rectangular, square, and circular shapes and allows dimensional viewing from both sides.

Convex Glass can be produced in 1/4-inch (.6 cm), 3/8-inch (.95 cm), 1/2-inch (1.3 cm), 5/8-inch (1.6 cm), and 3/4-inch (1.9 cm) single-layered panels and can be safety tempered as well. It is available in clear and low-iron glass. Cast textures and privacy coatings are also available. For projects that require laminating, Nathan Allan has developed a new method of casting panels that enables resin laminating to be successfully applied.

Another new process by Nathan Allan is the Fire-Frost opacity coating. Looking similar to sandblasting in appearance, Fire-Frost has a permanent sealed finish that repels grease, dirt, and fingerprints and allows for easy cleaning. Fire-Frost coatings are used in both indoor and outdoor applications and provide extra layers of opacity to the glass. [Contact: Nathan Allan Glass Studios Inc., Richmond, BC.]

Labels: 08, glass, multidimensional, window

Thursday, May 08, 2008

xGnP

Exfoliated Graphite Nano-Platelets (xGnP) are new types of nanoparticles made from graphite. These nanoparticles consist of small stacks of graphene that are 1 to 15 nanometers thick, with diameters ranging from sub-micron to 100 microns. Since xGnP is composed of the same material as carbon nanotubes, it shares many of their electrochemical characteristics, although not their tensile strength. The platelet shape, however, offers xGnP edges that are easier to modify chemically for enhanced dispersion in polymers.

Composite materials made with polymers, like plastics, nylon, or rubber, can be made electrically or thermally conductive with the addition of small amounts of xGnP. These nanoparticles can change the fundamental properties of plastics, enabling them to perform more like metals with metallic properties. These new nanoparticles also improve barrier properties, modulus, and surface toughness when used in composites. [Contact: XG Sciences, Inc., East Lansing, Michigan.]

Labels: 09, metal, recombinant