RESEARCH
The Centre FunGlass is the only research unit in the Slovak Republic dealing with the research and innovation in the field of glass-based materials at internationally recognized level. It is located in a region with high concentration of glass industry (the Euroregion White Carpathians at the Slovak-Czech border is called also “Euroregion of Glass”).
Established research activities
At present, the research activities of the Centre are oriented, apart from the industrial based research related to the needs of local and regional glass industry, also to:
- development and characterization of new types of functional glasses with luminescent properties,
- replacement of rare earth elements by transition metals in inorganic glass-based phosphors,
- research related to vitrification and immobilization of radioactive waste,
- and glass-fibres based insulation for nuclear power-plants.
The Centre also deals with:
- innovative methods of glass production (e.g. flame synthesis),
- polymer-derived glass-ceramic coatings for high temperature corrosion protection of metals,
- and development of nanostructured coatings at glass surfaces by sol-gel techniques.
Strong ties with local industry are demonstrated by numerous research activities for regional glass producers (development of new types of utility glasses with high corrosion resistance for RONA a.s. Lednické Rovne, optimization of glass melting and elimination of foam formation for Johns Manville Slovakia, Trnava).
The Centre has been included to the Regional innovation strategy of the Trenčín region – RIS INSIT among the research establishments ensuring sustainability and increasing competiveness of the region.
