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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
Published on: December 16, 2022
Glassomer-Processing Fused Silica Glass Like a Polymer
Frederik Kotz1, Norbert Schneider1, Andreas Striegel1
1Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany.
Abstract:
Fused silica glass is one of the most important high-performance materials for scientific research, industry, and society. However due to its high chemical and thermal resistance as well as high hardness, fused silica glass is notoriously difficult to structure. This work introduces Glassomer, a solid nanocomposite, which can be structured using polymer molding and subtractive technologies at submicrometer resolution. After polymer processing Glassomer is turned into optical grade fused silica glass during a final heat treatment. The resulting glass has the same optical transparency as commercial fused silica and a smooth surface with a roughness of a few nanometers. This work makes high-performance fused silica glass components accessible to high-throughput fabrication technologies and will enable numerous optical, photonic and medical applications in science and industry.
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