Professor John M Parker

MA PhD FIMMM CEng FSGT

School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering

Emeritus Professor of Glass Science and Engineering

Curator, Turner Museum of Glass

Professor John Parker
Profile picture of Professor John Parker
j.m.parker@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5514
Sir Robert Hadfield Building

Full contact details

Professor John M Parker
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

I moved to Sheffield from the University of Cambridge in 1971, having completed a first-class MA in Natural Sciences, a PhD and a post-doctoral NERC fellowship studying aluminosilicates with incommensurate structures. At Sheffield, I have developed interests in both the optical/structural properties of glasses and the technology of bulk glass making. I am actively involved in the International Commission on Glass and is past-president of both the Society of Glass Technology and the European Society of Glass Science and Technology.

Research interests

My key current interests are in glass structural analysis, particularly using information derived by optical spectroscopy, and the processes involved in glass crystallisation. Such interests support a project to predict optical spectra based on a knowledge of glass composition, for example for optical filter design; this approach has generated a study of colour control in relation to glass recycling, and the manufacture of low-cost UV opaque materials for containers that better protect their contents. It also led to work on coloured pigments for a variety of applications, and a study the art of glass staining in relation to the restoration of historic artefacts.

Optically active glasses also present many interesting challenges. For example, powder diffraction techniques using both synchrotron (Daresbury) and neutron (CERN) sources, combined with transmission electron microscopy and optical spectroscopy, have been used to study quantum dot development in silicate glasses, and the manufacture of transparent glass-ceramics, in which the precipitated crystalline phase contains an optically active dopant ion e.g. Cr3+:ZnAl2O4 and Er3+:CaF2. Such materials find applications as optical switches, amplifiers, up-converters and photon detectors. A potentially new area of interest is in encryption technologies.

My background in mineralogy has also led to a long-term study of crystalline defects in bulk glass manufacture, many of which arise during melting. This has created extensive industrial interactions and an interest in glass melting reactions; it culminated in the production of a monograph concerning defect identification which is still widely used in the glass industry. I have also worked on the development and characterisation of novel glasses for highly transparent optical fibres based on chalcogenides, fluorides and other halide ions. This has involved studies of glass stability and an identification of sources of defects, as well as an extensive study of the optical spectroscopy of impurity transition metal and rare-earth ions.

Throughout my career, I have worked closely with industry, including organisations such as British Telecom, Pilkingtons, Johnson Matthey, and Rockware Glass. I have also interacted with the Physics Departments at Sheffield, Brunel and Paisley, and with the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories.

Research group

Dr T Volotinen
Dr A Richardson
Mr P Hinder
Mr I Hickman

Research centres

Key projects

  • 2004 GTS (WRAP) Maximising Cullet Additions in the Glass Container Industry 2yr £25000
  • 2004 KTP Development of pigments for paints 4yr £194000
  • 2004 Framework 6 European Forum on New Glass Applications 3yr €75000
  • 2005 GTS (WRAP) Recycling contaminated glass 18m £25000
  • 2006 GTS (WRAP) Light protection of wine 18m £30500
  • 2006 KTP Lead free glaze development 2yr £115816
Publications

Journal articles

  • Parker JM & Durán A (2022) . Optical Materials Express, 12(8), 2938-2938.
  • Parker JM & Duran A (2022) . OPTICAL MATERIALS EXPRESS, 12(8), 2938-2941.
  • Parker J & Barrett E (2021) 'II drink a glass to that. Glass International, 44(7), 66.
  • Parker J (2021) Prof. John Parker As flat as a pancake. Glass International, 44(5), 75.
  • Volotinen TT, Parker JM, Hollis DB & Niklasson GA (2019) . Physics and Chemistry of Glasses: European Journal of Glass Science and Technology Part B, 60(4), 157-169.
  • Parker J (2016) Well rounded. Glass International, 39(5), 38-38.
  • Parker J (2016) A tale of endurance. Glass International, 39(2), 39.
  • Fu J, Kobayashi M, Sugimoto S & Parker JM (2009) . Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 92(9), 2119-2121.
  • Volotinen TT, Parker JM & Bingham PA (2008) Concentrations and site partitioning of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions in a soda-lime-silica glass obtained by optical absorbance spectroscopy. Physics and Chemistry of Glasses European Journal of Glass Science and Technology Part B, 49(5), 258-270.
  • Fu J, Kobayashi M, Sugimoto S & Parker JM (2008) . Materials Research Bulletin, 43(6), 1502-1508.
  • Fu J, Kobayashi M & Parker JM (2008) . Journal of Luminescence, 128(1), 99-104.
  • Bingham PA, Parker JM, Searle TM & Smith I (2007) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 353(24-25), 2479-2494.
  • Fisher JG, James PF & Parker JM (2005) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 351(8-9), 623-631.
  • Parker JM (2004) . Review of Progress in Coloration and Related Topics, 34(1), 26-38.
  • Fu J, Parker JM, Flower PS & Brown RM (2002) . Materials Research Bulletin, 37(11), 1843-1849.
  • Harris MJ, Dove MT & Parker JM (2000) . Mineralogical Magazine, 64(3), 435-440.
  • Parker JM & Richardson GJ (2000) Learning by degrees. Glass Technology, 41(4), 112-115.
  • Hannon AC & Parker JM (2000) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 274(1-3), 102-109.
  • Bell KW, Brown RM, Cockerill DJA, Flower PS, Hobson PR, Kennedy BW, Lintern AL, Parker JM & Sproston M (1999) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 256-257, 42-47.
  • McKinlay KJ & Parker JM (1999) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 256-257, 48-52.
  • Shaukat SF, McKinlay KJ, Flower PS, Hobson PR & Parker JM (1999) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 244(2-3), 197-204.
  • Harris MJ, Bennington SM, Dove MT & Parker JM (1999) . Physica B: Condensed Matter, 263-264, 357-360.
  • Hannon AC, M. Parker J & Vessal B (1998) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 232-234, 51-58.
  • Devitsin EG, Kirikova NY, Kozlov VA, Makhov VN, Potashov SY, Dmitruk LN, Terekhin MA, Munro IH, Mythen C, Shaw DA , Bell KW et al (1998) . Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 405(2-3), 418-422.
  • Hobson PR, Imrie DC, Price T, Sheikh S, Bell KW, Brown RM, Cockerill DJA, Flower PS, Grayer GH, Kennedy BW , Lintern AL et al (1997) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 213-214, 147-151.
  • Hannon AC, Parker JM & Vessal B (1996) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 196, 187-192.
  • PARKER JM & MOGHADDAM H (1994) . International Journal of Electronics, 76(5), 849-856.
  • Rogers DC, Manning RJ, Ainslie BJ, Cotter D, Yates MJ, Parker JM & Morgan S (1994) . IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 6(8), 1017-1019.
  • Stanley AT, Harris EA, Searle TM & Parker JM (1993) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 161, 235-240.
  • Hannon AC, Vessal B & Parker JM (1992) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 150(1-3), 97-102.
  • Clare AG, Parker JM, Furniss D, Harris EA & Searle TM (1989) . Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 1(44), 8753-8758.
  • Clare AG & Parker JM (1989) Effect of refractive index modifiers on the thermal expansion coefficient of fluoride glasses. Physics and Chemistry of Glasses, 30(6), 205-210.
  • Parker JM (1989) . Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, 3(4), 327-334.
  • Jha A & Parker JM (1989) Viscosity models for fluorozirconate and fluoroaluminate glasses. Physics and Chemistry of Glasses, 30(6), 220-228.
  • Hulme J, Jha A, Parker JM & Whitehouse AW (1989) Formation of far infrared transmitting AgI-CsI glasses. Physics and Chemistry of Glasses, 30(6), 254-259.
  • Clare AG & Parker JM (1989) . SPIE Proceedings, 1048, 64-64.
  • Yan F & Parker JM (1989) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 112(1-3), 277-281.
  • Yan F, Parker JM & Ainslie BJ (1988) . Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 21(10S), S82-S84.
  • Fuyu Y & Parker JM (1988) . Materials Letters, 6(7), 233-237.
  • Parker JM, Seddon AB & Clare AG (1987) CRYSTALLISATION OF ZrF//4-BaF//2-NaF-AlF//3-LaF//3 GLASSES.. Physics and Chemistry of Glasses, 28(1), 4-10.
  • Parker JM, Ainsworth GN, Seddon AB & Clare A (1986) CRYSTALLISATION OF ZrF//4-BaF//2-NaF GLASSES.. Physics and Chemistry of Glasses, 27(6), 219-227.
  • Parker JM & West GF (1986) Model study of SiF4 volatilisation from an oxide glass melt.. Kinetics and Mass Transport in Silicate and Oxide Systems, 297-306.
  • France PW, Carter SF, Williams JR, Beales KJ & Parker JM (1984) . Electronics Letters, 20(14), 607-608.
  • Parker JM, Wright PV & Lee CC (1981) . Polymer, 22(10), 1305-1307.
  • Moore AG, Maghrabi C & Parker JM (1978) . Journal of Materials Science, 13(5), 1127-1130.
  • Fenton DE, Parker JM & Wright PV (1973) . Polymer, 14(11), 589-589.
  • Parker JM () . The European Physical Journal Plus, 139(1).
  • Durán A & Parker JM () . The European Physical Journal Plus, 138(12).
  • Bingham PA, Parker JM, Searle T, Williams JM & Smith I () . Comptes Rendus. Chimie, 5(11), 787-796.
  • Dove MT, Harris MJ, Hannon AC, Parker JM, Swainson IP & Gambhir M () . Physical Review Letters, 78(6), 1070-1073.

Book chapters

  • Parker JM (2024) , Encyclopedia of Condensed Matter Physics (pp. 181-190). Elsevier
  • Parker JM (2024) , Encyclopedia of Condensed Matter Physics (pp. V3-190).
  • Parker JM (2021) (pp. 1219-1229). Wiley
  • Parker JM & Martlew D (2021) (pp. 1341-1359). Wiley
  • Parker JM (2005) , Encyclopedia of Condensed Matter Physics (pp. 273-280). Elsevier
  • Parker JM (1987) , Halide Glasses for Infrared Fiberoptics (pp. 119-137). Springer Netherlands

Conference proceedings

  • Parker JM (2016) Glass melting SGT glass training day lucideon, stoke-on-trent. Glass Technology European Journal of Glass Science and Technology Part A, Vol. 2016-June (pp 1-29)
  • Parker J (2016) Burning issues. Glass Technology European Journal of Glass Science and Technology Part A, Vol. 2016-June (pp 1-43)
  • Noble BD, Parker JM, James PF, Hand RJ, Smith A & Booth J (2004) Opacification of ZnO-B2O3-ZrO2 glasses. Glass Technology, Vol. 45(2) (pp 101-104)
  • Fu J, Parker JM, Brown RM & Flower PS (2003) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, Vol. 326-327 (pp 335-338)
  • Brown RM, Flower PS, Fu J & Parker JM (2002) . Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 486(1-2) (pp 303-308)
  • Bingham PA, Parker JM, Searle T, Williams JM & Fyles K (1999) . Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, Vol. 253(1-3) (pp 203-209)
Professional activities and memberships
  • Society of Glass Technology
  • International Commission on Glass
  • Honorary Liveryman of the Glass Sellers Company
  • Contemporary Glass Society