Glass ... Current Issues is the proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife between the 2nd and 13th April 1984. The objectives of the School were twofold. Firstly to inform participants of actual and developing technolog­ ical applications of glassy materials in which fundamental science makes a strong contribution, and secondly to bring together scientists from the widely different backgrounds of glass science and technology to promote mutual understanding and collaboration. The amorphous state has for more than a decade now been a renaissance of scientific and technological activity extending beyond traditional glass technology research. Striking developments of amorphous materials have been made in fields such as metallurgy, electronics and telecommunications and even in disciplines until recently less concerned by materials science, such as colloid chemistry, medicine and agriculture. The physical and chemical properties brought into application here result from the interaction between the glass composition and its non-crystalline structure. One role of the basic research is to understand this interaction, which in time through development, helps to extend the range of properties and applications. In this meeting we hoped to sensitize participants to the vast range of applications of amorphous materials which exploit their unique properties, and thus broaden future investigation. The program was organised around seven topics, signposts of scientific and technological activity in the 1980'S: optical materials, amorphous metals, crystallisation phenomena, electronic and electrical devices, sol-gel preparative methods, composite materials and long-term applications.

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I: Nucleation and Crystallization.- "Nucleation and crystallization in glass forming systems".- "Microstructure control by thermal treatment : real time studies of crystallization by neutron scattering".- "Property and process development in glass - Ceramic materials".- Round Table : "Crystallization of non-conventional glasses".- II: Amorphous Metals.- "What do we need to know about the structure of amorphous metals ?".- "Diffraction and X-Ray spectroscopy for the evaluation of structure of amorphous binaries".- "Influence of solidification parameters and relaxation on properties of metallic glasses".- "Hydrogen in metallic glasses".- "Mechanical responses of metallic glasses".- "Homogeneous flow and and anelastic/plastic deformation of metallic glasses".- "Real and potential applications of amorphous metal ribbons".- "Applications of thin films amorphous magnetic materials".- "Glass formation and growth in solids".- "Metallic glasses in high-energy pulsed-power systems".- "Sphere models for glasses".- "Magnetic properties and medium range order in metallic glasses" (abstract only).- III: Sol-Gel Preparative Methods.- "The gel-glass process".- "Sol-gel technology in the glass industry".- "Glassy thin films and fiberization by the gel route".- "Fine ceramics from the sol-gel process".- "Use of drying control chemical additives (DCCAs) in producing gel monoliths".- "Mechanisms and kinetics of the hydrolysis and condensation of alkoxides".- IV: Optical Applications of Glass.- "Chalcogenide glasses for optical applications".- "Halide glasses".- "Recent development in optical waveguides" (abstract only).- "Optical and related properties of bulk heavy metal fluoride glasses".- "Infared glass optical fiber technology : a brief review".- "Preparation, characterization and uses of thin films in optics".- "Functional glasses".- Round Table : "Spectroscopy of optical glasses".- Round Table : "Discussion and the future of optical waveguides".- V: Electronic and Ionic Devices.- "Electronic transport in amorphous chalcogenide semiconductors".- "Photostructural changes in amorphous chalcogenide materials".- "Small polarons in transition metal oxide glasses".- "Transition metal oxide gels".- "Applications of amorphous silicon".- "Ionic conductive glasses".- "The-mixed alkali effect" (abstract only).- "Applications of glasses in all solid stage batteries : a review".- "The origin of the glass electrode response".- "Development of an electrochromic mirror".- Round Table : "Ion transport, applications and theories".- VI: Composite Materials.- "The long term behaviour of glass fibres reinforced composite".- "Glass corrosion".- "Alkali resistant glass fibres for reinforcement of cement".- "Composites as biomaterials".- "Inorganic/organic polymers for contact lenses by the sol-gel process".- "Glass fiber reinforced plastic in the automotive industry" (abstract only).- "Composite materials : an overview" (abstract only).- "Stress corrosion of glass reinforced composites" (abstract only).- VII: Long-Range Applications of Glass.- "Atomic processes in charged particles irradiation of glasses".- "Radiation damage of glasses for nuclear waste storage : optical and microstructural aspects".- "Leaching of nuclear waste glasses".- "French experience in vitrification of radioactive waste solutions".- "Composition and bonding mechanisms in bioglass (TM) implants".- "Clinical applications of bioglass (TM)".- "Machinable bioactive glass-ceramic".- "The application of glasses in agriculture and medecine" (abstract only).- Short Communications.- "A detailed study of the devitrification processes of the electrolyte systems LiCl nD20 and LiCl nH20".- "Laser spectroscopy".- "Glass-ceramics".- "Structure of amorphous bimetallic chains MM'EDTA nH20".- "Structure of metallic glasses".- "Crystallisation in some transition metal-metalloid glasses".- "Study of disordered materials by Mösbauer spectroscopy".- "Zero chromatic dispersion -low loss single mode optical fibres in the 1.3-1.6m range".- "Infared ZrF4 based fluoride glass optical fibres".- "Gradient-index rod lens, planar lens and planar waveguide".- "New glass forming systems".- "Structure and properties of a-Si : H : F films obtained by R.F. glow-discharge in SiH4-F2 mixtures".- "Porous glass matrix for nuclear waste storage - part I : preparation and characterisation of spinodal phase separation".- "Porous glass matrix for nuclear waste storage - part II : solidification, characterization and leaching".- Concluding Remarks.- List of Participants.