Vitreous and Glass-Based Materials for the Circular Economy

A topical collection in Encyclopedia (ISSN 2673-8392). This collection belongs to the section "Material Sciences".

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Editors


E-Mail Website
Collection Editor

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: glasses; glass–ceramics; hazardous and nuclear waste vitrification; numerical simulation of melter
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Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Searching for routes of optimal waste management with or without their further reuse is an important aspect of the current stage of civilisation development and progress. Non-radioactive waste streams can be transformed into an inert form via contaminants binding or encapsulation. Such stabilisation reduces the potential hazard of toxic waste components by converting contaminants into insoluble forms. This can be done using durable solids of high structural integrity. Waste processing technologies which produce durable materials with a minimal ecological impact are preferred among affordable options. Inertisation provides minimal environmental impact of materials and therefore is a key technological component both for any reusage and/or disposal of waste materials. In contrast to non-radioactive waste the nuclear waste is associated with intrinsic harmful radiations and if not cleared from regulatory control for its negligible hazard is always intended to disposal which is considered as the end point of nuclear waste management. Technologies which effectively immobilise toxic waste components and radionuclides are hence most appreciated. With many research programmes under way this Topical Collection invites contributing articles and Encyclopedia entries reporting on current advances and perspectives in utilisation of vitreous and glass-based materials, especially accounting for their applications in circular economy including hazardous waste processing as well as nuclear waste immobilisation. All aspects of materials synthesis and structural and property investigation are welcome with focus on utilisation of materials in practical applications.

Prof. Dr. Michael Ojovan
Prof. Dr. Kai Xu
Collection Editors

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Keywords

  • vitreous materials
  • glasses
  • glass-ceramics
  • glass-crystalline composites
  • vitrification
  • nuclear waste
  • hazardous waste
  • immobilisation
  • inert forms

Published Papers (1 paper)

2026

28 pages, 4235 KB  
Review
Towards High-Strength Transparent Glass-Ceramics: Processing, Microstructure, and Applications
by Ivan Veselov, Georgiy Shakhgildyan, Kirill Tregubov, Daniil Vinogradov and Vladimir Sigaev
Encyclopedia 2026, 6(8), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia6080176 - 19 Aug 2026
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Abstract
Glass-ceramics are inorganic, non-metallic materials obtained by controlled crystallization of glasses through different processing routes; they contain at least one functional crystalline phase together with a residual glass, and the crystallized fraction may range from trace levels to nearly complete crystallization. Transparent glass-ceramics [...] Read more.
Glass-ceramics are inorganic, non-metallic materials obtained by controlled crystallization of glasses through different processing routes; they contain at least one functional crystalline phase together with a residual glass, and the crystallized fraction may range from trace levels to nearly complete crystallization. Transparent glass-ceramics (TGCs) constitute the optically transparent subset of this class and combine a controlled crystalline microstructure with a residual amorphous matrix. Their transparency distinguishes them from conventional opaque glass-ceramics and is achieved by minimizing light scattering through careful control of crystallite size, volume fraction, spatial distribution, and refractive-index mismatch between the crystalline and glassy phases. Unlike conventional sintered ceramics, TGCs retain many of the processing advantages of glass while incorporating crystalline phases that can enhance mechanical, thermal, optical, or functional properties. Depending on their composition and microstructure, TGCs may exhibit improved hardness, fracture toughness, thermal stability, chemical durability, luminescence, nonlinear optical response, or ion-exchange strengthening capability. These features make TGCs attractive for applications requiring both optical clarity and advanced performance, including protective cover glass, transparent armour, precision optical substrates, laser and photonic components, optical sensors, and multifunctional host materials for rare-earth ions and nanoparticles. Full article
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