# US 10,479,717 B1 · Glass foam > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,717 B1 - Document ID: US10479717B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/284,278 - Filed: 2016-10-03 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-03 - Assignees: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc. - Applicants: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc. - Inventors: Scott Cooper; Varun Mukheja; Tilak Gullinkala - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479717B1 ## CPC - C03B 19/08: by foaming - C09K 21/02: Inorganic materials - C03B: MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract A glass foam and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The glass foam is produced from a dried glass precursor gel having nanometer-sized pores and a bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix with an inorganic network of primary constituent oxides. One method includes obtaining the dried glass precursor gel, heating the dried glass precursor gel to a temperature below the melting point of the gel, maintaining the temperature for a time sufficient to expand the dried glass precursor gel, and expanding the dried glass precursor gel to form the glass foam. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing a glass foam, the method comprising: obtaining a dried glass precursor gel comprising nanometer-sized pores and a bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix having an inorganic network of primary constituent oxides, the primary constituent oxides comprising 30 mol % to 90 mol % silica (SiO2) and one or more of the following: (A) 0.1 mol % to 25 mol % of one or more alkali oxides in sum total, (B) 0.1 mol % to 30 mol % of one or more alkaline earth oxides in sum total, (C) 1 mol % to 25 mol % boric oxide, (D) 5 mol % to 80 mol % lead oxide, or (E) 0.1 mol % to 15 mol % aluminum oxide; heating the dried glass precursor gel to a temperature below the melting point of the gel; and maintaining the temperature for a time sufficient to expand the dried glass precursor gel; and expanding the dried glass precursor gel to form a glass foam. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel comprises the primary constituent oxides including 60 mol % to 85 mol % SiO2, 8 mol % to 18 mol % Na2O, and 5 mol % to 15 mol % CaO and the bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix being homogeneously chemically mixed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel comprises the dried glass precursor gel compositionally comprising 1 mol % to 2 mol % Al2O3. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel comprises the glass precursor gel compositionally comprising not more than 4 mol % Al2O3. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel comprises the dried glass precursor gel having a molar ratio of alkali oxide to the alkaline earth oxide to silica of 0.8:0.8:6 to 1.4:1.3:6. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining the dried glass precursor gel comprises the dried glass precursor gel being free of pre-melted glass, recycled glass, rock, clay, ore, or ash. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a wet glass precursor gel comprising the bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix being homogeneously chemically mixed and having a gel density of less than 2.0 g/cm3; and drying the wet glass precursor gel to form the dried glass precursor gel before the step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the step of expanding the dried glass precursor gel comprises the glass foam having a foam density being less than the gel density. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of heating the dried glass precursor gel comprises the temperature being between 650° C. and 850° C. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of heating the dried glass precursor gel produces substantially no carbon dioxide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of maintaining the temperature comprises the time sufficient to expand the dried glass precursor gel being between 0.5 and 60 minutes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of heating the dried glass precursor gel comprises the temperature being at or above a softening point of the gel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of expanding the dried glass precursor gel comprises the glass foam having a plurality of closed pores. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of expanding the dried glass precursor gel comprises expanding the dried glass precursor gel to a final volume being greater than an initial volume of the dried glass precursor gel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising incorporating the glass foam into an insulating material after the step of expanding the dried glass precursor gel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the method does not include using a separate blowing agent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of maintaining the temperature and expanding the dried glass precursor gel are performed simultaneously. ### Claim 18 A method of producing an insulating material, the method comprising: obtaining a dried glass precursor gel comprising nanometer-sized pores and a bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix having an inorganic network of primary constituent oxides, the primary constituent oxides comprising 30 mol % to 90 mol % silica (SiO2) and one or more of the following: (A) 0.1 mol % to 25 mol % of one or more alkali oxides in sum total, (B) 0.1 mol % to 30 mol % of one or more alkaline earth oxides in sum total, (C) 1 mol % to 25 mol % boric oxide, (D) 5 mol % to 80 mol % lead oxide, or (E) 0.1 mol % to 15 mol % aluminum oxide; heating the dried glass precursor gel to a temperature below the melting point of the gel; and maintaining the temperature for a time sufficient to expand the dried glass precursor gel; expanding the dried glass precursor gel to form a glass foam; and incorporating the glass foam into the insulating material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel comprises the primary constituent oxides including 60 mol % to 85 mol % SiO2, 8 mol % to 18 mol % Na2O, 5 mol % to 15 mol % CaO, and 1% to 2% Al2O3. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising: obtaining a wet glass precursor gel comprising the bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix being homogeneously chemically mixed and having a gel density of less than 2.0 g/cm3; and drying the wet glass precursor gel to form the dried glass precursor gel before the step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the method does not include melting raw materials to form the dried glass precursor gel prior to the step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein step of obtaining a dried glass precursor gel comprises the bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix being free of a polymer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein step of expanding the dried glass precursor gel comprises not using a mold to form the glass foam.