Creating a Health Care Business from University Research

Biomedical Tissue Engineering - Where We Go in the Future PanelThis presentation opens with a brief review of the Consortium for Bone and Tissue Repair and Regeneration which is a collaborative research program between faculty in the Dental School at UMKC and the materials programs at MS&T. This intercampus consortium is developing advanced bioactive glasses and investigating their use for repairing traumatized bone and tissue. The latter part of this presentation discusses entrepreneurship and the locations of creative activity (patents) in Missouri, and closes with a case study of how research at MS&T was successfully spun off to create a health care business

An Alternative Host Matrix Based on Iron Phosphate Glasses for the Vitrification of Specialized Nuclear Waste Forms

Certain high level wastes (HLW) in the U.S. contain components such as phosphates, heavy metals, and halides which make them poorly suited for disposal in borosilicate glasses. Iron phosphate glasses appear to be a technically feasible alternative to borosilicate glasses for vitrifying these HLWs. The iron phosphate glasses mentioned above and their nuclear wasteforms are relatively new, so little is known about their atomic structure, redox equilibria, structure-property relationships, and crystallization products and characteristics. The objective of this research is to gain such information for the binary iron-phosphate glasses as well as iron phosphate wasteforms so that a comprehensive scientific assessment can be made of their usefulness in nuclear waste disposal

Kinetics of Nucleation and Crystal Growth in Glass Forming Melts in Microgravity

The following list summarizes the most important results that have been consistently reported for glass forming melts in microgravity: (1) Glass formation is enhanced for melts prepared in space; (2) Glasses prepared in microgravity are more chemically homogeneous and contain fewer and smaller chemically heterogeneous regions than identical glasses prepared on earth; (3) Heterogeneities that are deliberately introduced such as Pt particles are more uniformly distributed in a glass melted in space than in a glass melted on earth; (4) Glasses prepared in microgravity are more resistant to crystallization and have a higher mechanical strength and threshold energy for radiation damage; and (5) Glasses crystallized in space have a different microstructure, finer grains more uniformly distributed, than equivalent samples crystallized on earth. The preceding results are not only scientifically interesting, but they have considerable practical implications. These results suggest that the microgravity environment is advantageous for developing new and improved glasses and glass-ceramics that are difficult to prepare on earth. However, there is no suitable explanation at this time for why a glass melted in microgravity will be more chemically homogeneous and more resistant to crystallization than a glass melted on earth. A fundamental investigation of melt homogenization, nucleation, and crystal growth processes in glass forming melts in microgravity is important to understanding these consistently observed, but yet unexplained results. This is the objective of the present research. A lithium disilicate (Li2O.2SiO2) glass will be used for this investigation, since it is a well studied system, and the relevant thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for nucleation and crystal growth at 1-g are available. The results from this research are expected to improve our present understanding of the fundamental mechanism of nucleation and crystal growth in melts and liquids, and to lead improvements in glass processing technology on earth, with the potential for creating new high performance glasses and glass-ceramics

Reaction of Inconel 690 and 693 in Iron Phosphate Melts: Alternative Glasses for Waste Vitrification

The corrosion resistance of candidate materials used for the electrodes (Inconel 690 & 693) and the melt contact refractory (Monofrax K-3) in a Joule Heated Melter (JHM) has been investigated at the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR) during the period from June 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research (DE-FG02-04ER63831). The unusual properties and characteristics of iron phosphate glasses, as viewed from the standpoint of alternative glasses for vitrifying nuclear and hazardous wastes which contain components that make them poorly suited for vitrification in borosilicate glass, were recently discovered at UMR. The expanding national and international interest in iron phosphate glasses for waste vitrification stems from their rapid melting and chemical homogenization which results in higher furnace output, their high waste loading that varies from 32 wt% up to 75 wt% for the Hanford LAW and HLW, respectively, and the outstanding chemical durability of the iron phosphate wasteforms which meets all present DOE requirements (PCT and VHT). The higher waste loading in iron phosphate glasses, compared to the baseline borosilicate glass, can reduce the time and cost of vitrification considerably since a much smaller mass of glass will be produced, for example, about 43% less glass when the LAW at Hanford is vitrified in an iron phosphate glass according to PNNL estimates. In view of the promising performance of iron phosphate glasses, information is needed for how to best melt these glasses on the scale needed for practical use. Melting iron phosphate glasses in a JHM is considered the preferred method at this time because its design could be nearly identical to the JHM now used to melt borosilicate glasses at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), Westinghouse Savannah River Co. Therefore, it is important to have information for the corrosion of candidate electrode and refractory materials in iron phosphate melts in a JHM. During the period from June 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005, the corrosion resistance of coupons of Inconel 690 & 693 metals and Monofrax K-3 refractory, partially submerged in several iron phosphate melts at 950-1200C, has been investigated to determine whether iron phosphate glasses could be melted in a JHM equipped with such electrodes and refractory in the same manner as now being used to melt borosilicate glass. These representative iron phosphate melts, which contained 30 wt% Hanford LAW and 40 wt% Idaho SBW simulants, did not corrode the Inconel 690 to any greater extent than what has been reported for Inconel 690 in the borosilicate melt in the JHM at DWPF. Inconel 693 appeared to be an even better candidate for use in iron phosphate melts since its corrosion rate (1.8 to 25.4 ?m/day) was only about one half that (5.4 to 45.4 ?m/day) of Inconel 690. The dynamic corrosion measured for the candidate refractory, Monofrax K-3, by iron phosphate melts is quite encouraging since the measured corrosion (0.011 to 0.132 mm/day at 9.2 rpm) is less than the corrosion (0.137 mm/day) that has been reported in the JHM used to melt borosilicate glass at DWPF. During the period covered by this final report, the results of the research on iron phosphate glasses have been described in seven technical papers and have been presented at one national meeting. In addition to the principal investigator, one research professor and one undergraduate research aide were supported by this project

Structural Properties and Crystallization of Sodium Tellurite Glasses

The structural properties and crystallization behaviour of xNa(2)O-(100-x)TeO(2) (0 <= x <= 33.3, x-% mole fraction) glasses have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The Raman spectra of glasses show systematic changes in structural units. from TeO(4) trigonal bypiramids ((bps) to TeO(3) trigonal pyramids (tps) with increasing Na(2)O content in glass. These structural changes are result of Te-(eq)O(ax)-Te disruption and the formation of non-bridging oxygens (NBOs) in glass network. When heated at 623 K for 10 h glasses crystallized to different phases: alpha-TeO(2), Na(2)Te(4)O(9) and a new crystalline phase which is believed to be a polymorph of Na(2)Te(2)O(5)

Structural Properties and Crystallization of Sodium Tellurite Glasses

The structural properties and crystallization behaviour of xNa2O-(100-x)TeO2 (0 <= x <= 33.3, x-% mole fraction) glasses have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The Raman spectra of glasses show systematic changes in structural units, from TeO4 trigonal bypiramids (tbps) to TeO3 trigonal pyramids (tps) with increasing Na2O content in glass. These structural changes are result of Te–eqOax–Te disruption and the formation of non-bridging oxygens (NBOs) in glass network. When heated at 623 K for 10 h glasses crystallized to different phases: alpha-TeO2, Na2Te4O9 and a new crystalline phase which is believed to be a polymorph of Na2Te2O5

Iron Phosphate Glasses: An Alternative for Vitrifying Certain Nuclear Wastes

A high priority has been given to investigating the vitrification of three specific nuclear wastes in iron phosphate glasses (IPG). These wastes, which were recommended by the Tank Focus Area (TFA) group of Hanford, are poorly suited for vitrification in the currently DOE-approved borosilicate (BS) glasses. They include (1) a sodium bearing waste (SBW) at INEEL, (2) a high chrome waste (HCW) at Hanford, and (3) a high sodium/sulfate waste (HSSW), also known as low activity waste (LAW) at Hanford. A simulated composition for each waste, which was simplified by neglecting components present in quantities &lt; 0.4 wt%, was used in the present investigation

Biomedical Tissue Engineering - Where We Go in the Future

Researchers and entrepreneurs examine breakthroughs in tissue engineering and regeneration that enhance healing, remodeling, and recovery