Researchers develop molecular method to restructure specialized glass

Researchers from TU Dortmund, the University of Paderborn, the University of Duisburg-Essen, and the University of Oxford have developed a new method to chemically alter the internal structure of specialized glasses. The study, published in the journal ‘Nature Materials’, details how adding an organic molecule during the melting process allows chemical bonds to rearrange.

By using 1,10-phenanthroline, the team can lower the required processing temperature and prevent material decomposition. This technique enables the precise adjustment of magnetic and optical properties in glasses derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Such advancements could lead to new applications in gas storage, battery technology, optical devices, and catalysis, allowing for the creation of light-emitting or magnetic glasses that were previously impossible to manufacture without heat-induced destruction.