Professor Pantano has established a group of faculty and student collaborators whose interests in glass range from atomic modeling of surfaces and water adsorption to nanomechanical surface properties to exploratory evaluation of new surface treatments and coatings.
The effect of glass composition and processing on the surface composition and reactivity of substrate and fiber glasses is of primary interest. The specific effects of sodium-oxide, boron-oxide and pH on polymer adsorption and adhesion are being characterized using methods including XPS, FTIR, AFM, IGC, NMR, and Raman. In a closely related line of inquiry, the effects of surface composition on chemo-mechanical effects such as stress corrosion, erosion and mechanical deformation are explored with AFM. The electrical poling of glass is being used to further modify the optical properties and dielectric properties of the surface, and to understand glass/metal electrode interfaces. A variety of thin-film coating methods and surface treatments are employed to nanostructure surfaces.
Professor Pantano also has an interest in promoting and facilitating interdisciplinary activities among glass scientists, glass artists, and conservators. He created a hot shop for fiber drawing, glass blowing, and related processing methods that has served as an ideal venue to bring together students from different disciplines into two new cross-listed courses on Glass Art and Science.