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Analyses
Saint-Gobain Recherche laboratories specialize in the analysis and
characterization of materials. The laboratories use modern equipment
and up to date expertise, enhanced by participation in international
working groups. These laboratories perform characterization work
on behalf of group scientists and the production units. Examples
of this work are:
- Surface microanalysis and analysis using scanning electron
microscope techniques, electronic micro-sensors, X-ray Photoemission
Spectroscopy, Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform
Infrared Spectroscopy, etc.. This type of characterization is adapted
to the evolution of group products towards greater complexity, involving
frequent associations of several materials (for instance organic
coatings on glass), and the presence of very fine layers (occasionally
less than 1 nm) that assign specific properties to materials (anti-glare
and such).
- Chemical analysis by X-ray fluorescence, plasma torch,
atomic absorption, wet process analysis, etc.. These analyses characterize
the concentrations of elements which may be present in only small
contents (down to the ppm level), but which have a major impact
on certain properties such as color.
- Measurement of physical characteristics which determine
the fundamental properties of glass, i.e. viscosity, devitrification,
density, coefficient of expansion, index of refraction, optical
and thermal properties, etc..
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