LionGlass inventors secure partner for product development

LionGlass inventors secure partner for product development

Bormioli Luigi, an Italian glassmaker that specializes in producing high-end packaging for fragrance, cosmetics and tableware, is the first company to enter an official partnership with Penn State University to perform research and development with the goal of scaling up, manufacturing and ultimately commercializing LionGlass.

“This is an enormous opportunity to work with this material and create a more sustainable glass with far less carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and energy consumption than standard glass,” said Elisa Biavardi, the chemical laboratory manager for Bormioli Luigi. “I see it also as an opportunity to learn from one another as we explore the possibilities for this major innovation in glassmaking.”

The partnership will focus on scaling up LionGlass to create bottles for luxury beauty products like cosmetics and perfume. By focusing on a smaller, high-end market, the company can fine tune the glass and determine the feasibility of scaling it up further for other uses, Biavardi explained.

Soda–lime–silica glass has been used for thousands of years for everything from windows to bottles to microscope slides. The high energy requirements for melting glass account for 70% to 80% of its carbon footprint. The remaining 20% to 30% comes from decomposition of its carbonate batch materials, which release CO₂ into the atmosphere.

LionGlass eliminates the use of carbonate batch materials and has a melting temperature roughly 400°C lower than other everyday glass products. It has the potential to cut the carbon footprint of glass manufacturing in half, explained John Mauro, the Dorothy Pate Enright Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State University and co-inventor of LionGlass.

“We’re thrilled to have this close partnership with Bormioli to realize the full potential of LionGlass to reshape the industry,” Mauro said. “Bormioli is building upon a long history of innovation in glass manufacturing by moving towards methods that are more environmentally sustainable. We have very close alignment of our goals and look forward to partnering with them to bridge the gap towards commercialization.”

LinkedIn release on LionGlass