Overview

Boron Oxide plays a key role in numerous glasses of high technological importance, yet its role in glass structure is far from clear. Indeed, in recent years there have been serious chal- lenges to previous structure concepts for both crystalline and glassy borates. These challenges were sufficient to warrant a re- examination of the structure of borate glasses using the most pow- erful tools currently available. To provide a suitable forum for this undertaking, a four-day conference on "Boron in Glass and Glass Ceramics" was convened at Alfred University, June 3-8, 1977 to review the best scientific thinking on structure and to debate conflicting views and discuss properties and applications of borate glasses. This conference was also the first in a New University series on Glass Science to be rotated among Alfred University, The Pensyl vania State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the University of Missouri-Rolla. The present volume represents the proceedings of the first conference in this series. The volume begins with a review of the remarkable contribution of Jan Krogh-Moe to the understanding of the structure of Borate glasses. This review, authored by Professor N. J. Kreidl, concludes by dedicating the proceedings of this conference as a Krogh-Moe Fest- schrift. The volume continues with a historical review by D. L. Griscom, originally prepared for circulation to the contributors prior to the conference. An Epilogue to the opening chapter brings the survey up-to-date in light of the conference papers.