There is much we do not fully understand about how sulphur behaves under certain melting conditions and how oxidation state and glass composition relate to sulphur solubility. In order to understand what's going on at an atomic level, it is necessary to use analytical techniques that are element specific. For example, you only "see" what the sulphur is doing without interference or complication from other elements. This is particularly important for sulphur which is usually on present at very dilute levels in glass. In this article, the author, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Sheffield, examines the role of sulphur, which is a component of many different glasses, from everyday commercial bottles and windows to glasses produced from the vitrification of toxic and nuclear wastes.
