Bormioli Luigi renews LionGlass deal with Penn State after successful trial run

(Press-News.org) UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s LionGlass project has reached a major milestone in its partnership with Italian glassmaker Bormioli Luigi, marking one year of collaboration and the signing of a second-year agreement to continue commercialization efforts in the cosmetics packaging industry.

The partnership, which began in 2024, aims to scale up LionGlass — a new family of glass developed at Penn State — as a sustainable alternative to traditional soda lime glass. LionGlass melts at temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius (C) lower than conventional glass and eliminates direct carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by removing carbonates from the glass batch. It also offers enhanced mechanical durability, in some cases up to 10 times higher crack resistance than conventional glass.

In March, researchers from Penn State joined Bormioli Luigi glassmakers for a pilot trial in Murano, Italy, home to some of the world’s oldest glassmaking traditions. Over two days, the team melted two 100-kilogram batches of LionGlass in a rented artisanal gas-powered furnace and formed more than 150 clear glass cups, demonstrating that the glass can be manufactured at scale. Despite the furnace not being designed for the largest scale continuous production, the trial was deemed a success.

“We were able to not only show that LionGlass could be melted at significantly lower temperatures and without carbonates, but we also demonstrated the formability of LionGlass and its ability to remain transparent and smooth,” said Nicholas Clark, an assistant research professor at Penn State and co-inventor of LionGlass who is now leading commercialization efforts.

The trial also confirmed compatibility with traditional, industrial-style glass manufacturing techniques, a key step toward full commercialization and application for a variety of products, Clark said. Major cosmetics brands have expressed strong interest in LionGlass, signaling its potential to reshape luxury packaging with a more sustainable material, said John Mauro, co-inventor of LionGlass and Penn State professor and department head of materials science and engineering.

“Murano has one of the longest histories of glassmaking in the world, second only to Mesopotamia,” he said. “It was incredible to innovate in a place where glass has been crafted the same way for over a thousand years.”

The collaboration also served as a cultural exchange. Titus Reed, a doctoral student in materials science at Penn State and U.S. Navy veteran, said he once hoped to be stationed in Italy and finally made it there through this project. He dedicated time to visiting local glassmakers and touring museums that housed ancient Roman artifacts — some of earliest pieces of glass ever discovered.

“It was a full-circle moment,” he said.

Looking ahead, the team plans to refine LionGlass compositions to improve mechanical performance and chemical durability, with hopes of matching or exceeding the properties of soda lime glass. For example, one recent breakthrough is the development of new LionGlass compositions containing strontium oxide (SrO), which improves several properties of interest for manufacturing and customer end-use. Another trial in Italy is anticipated in the coming months.

“Our collaboration with Penn State has been incredibly rewarding,” said Elisa Biavardi, a researcher and lab manager for Bormioli Luigi. “We’ve been impressed by the dedication, creativity and scientific rigor of the research team. The successful trial in Murano was a testament to what’s possible when tradition meets innovation. We’re excited to continue this journey together and bring LionGlass closer to full-scale commercialization.”

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