US 5,964,913 A · Method of making a vitreous material

Abstract

The invention relates to a single phase vitreous material and to its production from a melt of a glass-forming multi-component feed mix. The process includes the preparation of a single phase melt in which there are mobile cations from a glass forming feed mix. The melt in passed in contacting relationship with and sequentially between devices made of low electrical resistance material from device to device. These devices are in and complete with the melt and a direct current voltage source an electric circuit. A voltage is regulated in the electrical circuit so that a direct electrical current is created in it and the concentration of the mobile cations in the melt is lowered thereby with reduction on the cathode of the metals of the same kind as the mobile cations. The melt, lowered concentration of the mobile cations, is cooled to produce the material as a structural article. In another embodiment, the anode is separated from the melt by a medium which is substantially inert with respect to the melt. A voltage in this electric circuit is regulated to create an electrostatic field between the cathode and anode so that a direct electrical current is created, and thus the concentration of mobile cations in the melt is lowered with reduction on the cathode of the metals of the same kind. This melt similarly is cooled to produce the material as a structural article. In another embodiment, the embodiments of both the electric circuit with the anode contacting with the melt and the electric circuit with the anode not contacting the melt are practiced simultaneously.

Claims84

Dependent claims

A method of producing a single phase vitreous material from a melt of a glass-forming multi-component feed mix which comprises the steps of:

(a) preparing a single phase melt in which there are mobile cations from a glass forming feed mix, components of which feed mix are chemical compounds selected from the group consisting of a chemical compound which includes a univalent metal which in the melt is a mobile cation, a chemical compound including a divalent metal which in the melt is a mobile cation, and mixtures thereof, and
chemical compounds selected from the group consisting of a chemical compound which includes a trivalent metal, a chemical compound which includes a metal with a valence higher than three (3), and mixtures thereof;
(b) passing said melt in contacting relationship with and sequentially between devices made of low electrical resistance material from device to device, said devices in and completing with the melt and a direct current voltage source an electric circuit in which circuit there is a said device serving as an anode and there is a said device serving as the cathode;
(c) regulating a voltage in said electrical circuit so that a direct electrical current is created in it and the concentration of the mobile cations in said melt is lowered thereby with reduction on the cathode of the metals of the same kind as the mobile cations;
and
(d) cooling said melt which has the lowered concentration of said mobile cations to produce the material as a structural article.

3 more elements

A method of producing a single phase vitreous material from a melt of glass forming multi-component feed mix which comprises the steps of:

(a) preparing a single phase melt in which there are mobile cations from a glass forming feed mix, components of which feed mix are chemical compounds selected from the group consisting of a chemical compound which includes a univalent metal which in the melt is a mobile cation, a chemical compound including a divalent metal which in the melt is a mobile cation, and mixtures thereof, and chemical compounds selected from the group consisting of a chemical compound which includes a trivalent metal, a chemical compound which includes a metal with a valence higher than three (3), and mixtures thereof, and
(b) placing said melt in contacting relationship with a device made from low electrical resistance material and which serves as a cathode, there also being a device made of low electrical resistance material and which serves as an anode, said anode separated from said melt by a medium which is inert with respect to the melt, and thereby said melt and said medium complete an electric circuit including said devices, said melt, said medium, and a direct current voltage source;
(c) regulating a voltage in said electric circuit to create an electrostatic field between the cathode and anode so that a direct electrical current is created and is passed through said cathode, said anode, said medium, and said melt, and thus the concentration of mobile cations in said melt is lowered with reduction on the cathode of the metals of the same kind;
and
(d) cooling said melt which has the lowered concentration of said mobile cations to produce the material as a structural article.

2 more elements

A method of producing a single phase vitreous material from a melt of glass-forming multi-component feed mix which comprises the steps of:

(a) preparing a single phase melt in which there are mobile cations from a glass forming feed mix, components of which feed mix are chemical compounds selected from the group consisting of a chemical compound which includes a univalent metal which in the melt is a mobile cation, a chemical compound including a divalent metal which in the melt is a mobile cation, and mixtures thereof, and chemical compounds selected from the group consisting of a chemical compound which includes a trivalent metal, a chemical compound which includes a metal with a valence higher than three (3), and mixtures thereof,
(b) passing said melt in contacting relationship with and sequentially between devices made of low electrical resistance material from device to device, said devices in and completing with the melt and a direct current voltage source an electric circuit in which circuit there is a said device serving as an anode and there is a said device serving as the cathode, and simultaneously placing said melt in contacting relationship with a device made from low electrical resistance material and which serves as a cathode, there also being a device made of low electrical resistance material and which serves as an anode, said anode separated from said melt by a medium which is inert with respect to the melt, and thereby said melt and said medium complete the electric circuit including said devices, said melt, said medium, and a direct current voltage source;
(c) regulating a voltage in the electric circuit including the anode in contact with said melt so that the direct current created in this electric circuit is passed through this melt, and
impressing a voltage in the electric circuit including the anode separated from this same melt by the medium which is inert with respect to this same melt to create an electrostatic field between the anode and cathode in this electric circuit, so that the direct current created is passed through the cathode, the anode, said medium, this same melt;
whereby the concentration of said mobile cations in said melt is lowered simultaneously in said electric circuit which includes the anode in contact with the melt and in the electric circuit that includes the anode not in contact with the melt with reduction on the cathode of the metals of the same kind as the mobile cations;
and
(d) cooling said melt which has the lowered concentration of said mobile cations to produce the material as a structural article.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of making a vitreous material

Life of this patent

Method of making a vitreous material

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims84