:Dr. William LaCourse

Professor of Glass Science Director of the Institute for Glass Science and Engineering Associate Director of NSF Center for Glass Research Phone: 607.871.2466 Fax: 607.871.2392 flacourse@alfred.edu

Education:
B.S., SUNY at Stony Brook, engineering science (1966)
M.S., SUNY at Stony Brook, materials science (1967)
Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, materials science (1969)

Principal Research Interests:
Sol-gel processing of glasses and ceramics
Chalcogenide glass fibers
Mechanical properties of glasses
Surface modification techniques
Glass fiber-composition development
Mixed alkali effect
Glass defects and durability

Current Research Projects:
Accelerated ion-exchange strengthening of float glass
Bio-active and bioresorbable materials
Chalcogenide and fiber optic materials
Defects in glazes
Scratch resistance of glasses and coatings

Professional Activities:
Member, American Ceramic Society
National Institute of Ceramic Engineers
Ceramic Educational Council
Ceramic Association of New York
Society of Glass Technology

Patents:
"Composite Materials Using Bone Bioactive Glass and Ceramic Fibers," U.S. Pat. 5,721,049, 1998 (M.S. Marcolongo, P. Ducheyne, F. Ko, and W. LaCourse).

"Composite Materials Using Bone Bioactive Glass and Ceramic Fibers," U.S. Pat. 5,468,544, Nov. 21, 1995 (M.S. Marcolongo, P. Ducheyne, F. Ko, and W. LaCourse).

"Process for Preparing a Durable Glass Composition," U.S. Pat. 5,215,663, June 1, 1993 (W.C. LaCourse, S.T. Lin, and T. Vethanyagam).

"Method for Strengthening Glass Articles by Cation Exchange Process," U.S. Pat. 4,872,896, Oct. 10, 1989 (W.C. LaCourse and M. Akhtar).

"Process for Strengthening Glass," U.S. Pat. 4,872,896, 27 May 1988 (W.C. LaCourse and M. Akhtar).

"Fiberizable Glass," U.S. Pat. 4,303,446, Dec. 1, 1981 (W.C. LaCourse and T.J. Clark).

Honors and Awards:
Fellow, American Ceramic Society
Listed, Who's Who in Frontiers of Science and Technology
Member, Keramos, Phi Kappa Phi
Research fellow, National Research Council (1970)
Recipient, State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Recipient, Kruson Faculty Award, Alfred University; Alfred University Excellence in Teaching Award

Selected Publications:
"FTIR Spectral Characterization of Thin Film Coatings of Oleic Acid on Glasses," J. Mater. Sci, 35 4961-4970 (2000) (D.H. Lee, R.A. Condrate Sr., and W.C. LaCourse).

"Study of the Reactivity of Zircon Pigments in Glass Matrix," Ceram. Eng. Sci. Proc., 21 [2] 9 (2000) (F. Bandioli, C. Leonelli, T. Manfredini, and W.C. LaCourse).

"Glasses: Old Dog - New Tricks," Mater. Eng., 10 [1] 19-24 (1999) (W.C. LaCourse).

"Variations in K+-Na+ Ion Exchange Depth in Commercial and Experimental Flat Glass Compositions," Mater. Res. Bull., 34 [14] 2351-2359 (1999) (C.W. Sinton, W.C. LaCourse, and W.J. O'Connell).

"Zero Gravity Sol-Gel Glass-Metal Composite Production," Ceram. Eng. Sci. Proc., 20 [4] 251-256 (1999) (M. Korwin, K. Lynch, and W. LaCourse).

"Apatite-Wollastonite Glass-Ceramics. Part I: Crystallization Kinetics by Differential Thermal Analysis," J. Mater. Sci., 33 [24] 5901-5904 (1998) (S. Likitvanichkul and W.C. LaCourse).

"Correlation between Zeta Potential of Glass Surfaces and Microindentation Data in Aqueous Environments," Ceram. Trans., 82 1042-1122 (1998) (J.C. Rolf, W.C. LaCourse, and J.R. Varner).

"Determination of the Skin Viscosity of Glass via Fiber Elongation," pp. 341-347 in Ceramic Transactions, Vol. 82, Advances in Fusion and Processing of Glass II. Edited by A.G. Clare and L.E. Jones. American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH, 1998 (W.C. LaCourse and P. Shen).

"Effects of Atmospheres on the Volatilization and Surface Tension of Glasses," pp. 233-238 in Ceramic Transactions, Vol. 82, Advances in Fusion and Processing of Glass II. Edited by A.G. Clare and L.E. Jones. American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH, 1998 (H. Jiang and W.C. LaCourse).

"Glasses with Transitional Structures," pp. 273-279 in Ceramic Transactions, Vol. 82, Advances in Fusion and Processing of Glass II. Edited by A.G. Clare and L.E. Jones. American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH, 1998 (W.C. LaCourse and A.N. Cormack).

"In-Situ Observation of the Dissolution of Refractory Inclusions in Glass," pp. 351-356 in Ceramic Transactions, Vol. 82, Advances in Fusion and Processing of Glass II. Edited by A.G. Clare and L.E. Jones. American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH, 1998 (C.H. Yoon, W.C. LaCourse, and J.O. Byun).

"Metastable, Drawing-Induced Crystallization in As2Se3 Fibers," J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 227-230 [Pt.B] 789-793 (1998) (P. Hari, P.C. Taylor, W.A. King, and W.C. LaCourse).

"Contact Damage Resistance of Whiteware Glazes," Ceram. Eng. Sci. Proc., 18 [2] 228-236 (1997) (W.C. LaCourse and M.T. Ucasz).

"Density and Microhardness of AsSe Glasses and Glass Fibers," J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 209 [1-2] 159-165 (1997) (C.T. Hach, K. Cerqua-Richardson, J.R. Varner, and W.C. LaCourse).