FunGlass explores new approaches to glass recycling within the EVERGLASS project

FunGlass – Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass is a member of the EVERGLASS Consortium, contributing its expertise in glass science, characterization and advanced processing technologies to the project. As part of the consortium, FunGlass is exploring new approaches to the recovery and processing of glass waste that is currently difficult to recycle.

Glass is a fascinating and versatile material, used in everything from art and everyday products to advanced technologies and medicine. However, not all types of glass can currently be recycled efficiently.

One example is pharmaceutical borosilicate glass, commonly used for syringes, vials and other medical packaging. Unlike container glass, pharmaceutical glass has different melting properties, which makes it difficult to recycle together with conventional glass. When these materials are processed together, unmelted fragments can remain in the final product and lead to defects. As a result, significant amounts of pharmaceutical glass are still landfilled rather than recovered.

Within EVERGLASS, FunGlass is contributing to the development of new approaches for processing such challenging glass waste. Our research focuses on materials produced using glass laser morphing, with particular attention to their chemical homogeneity, structural defects, physical properties and hydrolytic resistance.

A key part of the research involves microscopic analysis, which allows our researchers to observe how different processing parameters influence the formation of defects and bubbles. This helps us evaluate the quality of the processed glass and determine how closely it approaches the requirements for potential applications.

Although the current materials still require further development, particularly in terms of transparency and mechanical strength, laser processing opens up interesting possibilities for creating glass structures that are difficult to manufacture using conventional technologies. One promising example is the development of filters with extremely fine openings for advanced water filtration.

Through its participation in the EVERGLASS Consortium, FunGlass is helping explore new ways to recover valuable glass materials while developing innovative processing technologies that could contribute to a more sustainable and circular approach to glass production.

Watch the video featuring Prof. Dušan Galusek, Director of FunGlass, to learn more about our research and contribution to the EVERGLASS project.