Page 26 - The Science of Glass

Pyrex ad during
Pyrex Casserole dish World War II

Pyrex products quickly became best sellers. Almost every kitchen in
the United States contained a Pyrex casserole dish or bowl. Cooks liked
that it was clear. They could watch the food cook inside. Pyrex was also
convenient. People could bake, serve, and store food in the same dish.
Pyrex did not absorb food odors. It was easy to clean.

Just when cooks thought bakeware could not get any better, Dr. Donald
Stookey proved them wrong. He was also a scientist at Corning. While
researching the properties of glass, he accidentally overheated a glass plate
in a broken furnace. He set the temperature for 600°C (1,112°F). Instead,
it heated to 900°C (1,652°F). Stookey was sure the plate would be ruined,
but it wasn’t! It had turned white, but it had also become shatterproof.
Thanks to this furnace malfunction, Stookey discovered the technology
of glass ceramics. This new formula was used to make CorningWare®,
another popular type of cookware.

Stookey’s discovery was used for more than baking. Glass ceramics are
so strong that the U.S. military puts the material on the noses of guided
missiles. It protects missiles from extreme heat. NASA also uses the
material to make glass-ceramic nuts and bolts for space shuttles.

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