Melting glass materials using rf plasma

A method for melting glass batch materials comprising:

• (a) bringing the glass batch materials into contact with a plasma for a residence time sufficient to react and melt the glass batch materials to form substantially homogeneous, spheroid-shaped glass intermediate particles,
• wherein the glass batch materials comprise from about 45 wt % to about 95 wt % collectively of at least one of alumina and silica, and from about 5 wt % to about 55 wt % collectively of at least one oxide of boron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, strontium, tin, and/or titanium;
• (b) optionally cooling the glass intermediate particles;
• (c) optionally collecting the glass intermediate particles;
• and
• (d) heating the glass intermediate particles at a temperature and for a time sufficient to fuse the glass intermediate particles together to form a glass melt.

A glass intermediate particle comprising:

• at least one of alumina and silica, present in an amount ranging from about 45 wt % to about 95 wt % collectively, and at least one oxide of boron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, strontium, tin, and/or titanium, present in an amount ranging from about 5 wt % to about 55 wt % collectively, wherein:
• (a) the glass intermediate particle is substantially homogeneous,
• (b) the glass intermediate particle is substantially spheroid in shape,
• (c) the glass intermediate particle has an average particle size ranging from about 5 microns to about 1,000 microns.