Vitreous Vessel Wallpaper

Description: Vitreous refers to a material in an amorphous, glassy state (in contrast to a crystalline state). In such a state, the constituent atoms do not exhibit the long-range order that is characteristic of crystals. However, they still exhibit short-range order -- the separation of atoms and/or the lengths of covalent bonds are very close to their... ( +expand to view full text )

Description: Vitreous refers to a material in an amorphous, glassy state (in contrast to a crystalline state). In such a state, the constituent atoms do not exhibit the long-range order that is characteristic of crystals. However, they still exhibit short-range order -- the separation of atoms and/or the lengths of covalent bonds are very close to their typical equilibrium distances. The creation of a vitreous material by supercooling or by addition of additives prior to cooling is called vitrification. Under certain conditions, vitreous materials may begin to rearrange themselves into crystals. This process is referred to as devitrification. Natural volcanic glass, obsidian will de-vitrify or crystallize over extended periods of geologic time. Devitrification can also occur in glass items that are regularly washed in dishwashers due to the chemicals involved in their detergents.