Simba
Development of a New Glass Composition for High-Quality Container Glass
The production of conventional glass containers results in high CO₂ emissions due to the high melting temperatures of soda-lime-silicate glasses and the raw materials used. The use of a low-melting, carbonate-free glass system — which is being developed and investigated in this project — helps achieve climate policy goals in the glass industry and thus also contributes to environmental protection.
In everyday life, we use glass because of its unique properties, such as luster, transparency, and thermal stability. The soda-lime-silicate glasses commonly used today have dominated the market for over a century. Their production is energy-intensive and generates high CO₂ emissions. To pave the way for more climate-friendly production methods, new approaches that go beyond traditional raw materials and melting processes are needed.
The goal of the project is to develop a basic technological concept for a new generation of container glass based on so-called zinc-alumosilico-phosphate (ZASP for short) glasses. These do not require carbonate-containing raw materials and can be melted at lower temperatures. They thus offer the potential to reduce process-related emissions.
The project involves the production of various ZASP glass compositions, their characterization, and the evaluation of their melting and processing properties.
ZASP glass offers significant environmental advantages over traditional silicate glass. However, to be used as container glass, it must also meet high standards for chemical and mechanical resistance. At the same time, the study will examine how ZASP glass can be integrated into a closed-loop recycling system.
Finally, the study will assess in which market segments ZASP glass can be used industrially. High-quality glass vials, for which demand continues to grow, offer an attractive area of application. The goal is to develop an initial technological concept for the production of sustainable, high-quality container glass based on the ZASP glass formulation developed during the course of the project.
Project Profile
Duration: 01.02.2026 – 31.07.2028
Funding: Bayerische Transformations- und Forschungsstiftung
Project Partners:
- HEINZ GLAS GmbH & Co. KGaA
- Wiegand-Glashüttenwerke GmbH
Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Gerdes
