Transparent beads and their production method
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsToshihiro Kasai, Kenton D. Budd, Stephen L. Lieder, James A. Laird, Chikafumi Yokoyama, Toshinori Naruse, Kenji Matsumoto, Hirohiko Ono
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Abstract
Transparent solid, fused microspheres are provided. In one embodiment, the microspheres contain alumina, zirconia, and silica in a total content of at least about 70% by weight, based on the total weight of the solid, fused microspheres, wherein the total content of alumina and zirconia is greater than the content of silica, and further wherein the microspheres have an index of refraction of at least about 1.6 and are useful as lens elements.
Claims7
A method for producing transparent solid, fused microspheres comprising:
- (a) providing a starting composition comprising one or more of aluminum raw material, zirconium raw material and silicone raw material;
- (b) melting the starting composition to form molten droplets;
- and
- (c) cooling the molten droplets to form quenched fused microspheres wherein the microspheres comprise alumina, zirconia, and silica in a total content of at least about 70% by weight, based on the total weight of the solid, fused microspheres;
- the total content of alumina and zirconia is greater than the content of silica;
- the microspheres have an index of refraction of at least about 1.6 and are useful as lens elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.