Process for melting and refining silica-based glass
AssigneeOwens Brocking Glass Container Inc.
InventorsD. Wayne Leidy, Dawid Dewet-Smith, Carl L. Fayerweather, Brett E. Hixson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for making silica-based glass includes: (a) forming a glass precursor melt that includes glass network formers and glass network modifiers, the glass precursor melt being at a temperature in the range of 900 C to 1700 C and having a viscosity of not more than 3 Pa·s, and (b) refining the glass precursor melt. Either or both steps (a) and (b) can include stirring and/or be carried out under reduced pressure to enhance refining. The refined glass precursor melt preferably is mixed with additional materials including silica (SiO2) to form a silica-based glass melt.
Claims34
A process for making a glass product melt composition, which includes the steps of:
- (a) providing a first mixture of raw materials that includes a glass network former and gas releasing glass network modifiers;
- (b) providing a second mixture of raw materials that includes an additional amount of said glass network former and non-gas releasing glass network modifiers;
- (c) melting and reacting said first mixture of raw materials to form a glass precursor melt having a temperature in the range of 900 C to 1700 C and having a viscosity of not more than 3 Pa·s;
- (d) refining said glass precursor melt, wherein said viscosity of said glass precursor melt promotes release of gaseous reactions products from said precursor melt that evolved upon decomposition of said gas releasing glass network modifiers in said step (c);
- and then
- (e) dissolving said second mixture of raw materials in said refined glass precursor melt to form a final glass melt that has a greater percentage of said glass network former than said glass precursor melt.
A process for making a glass product melt composition, which includes the steps of:
- (a) forming a glass precursor melt by melting and reacting a mixture of raw materials that includes a glass network former and one or more as releasing glass network modifiers, wherein said glass network modifiers and said glass network former are mixed together at a molar ratio in the range of 2:1.5 to 1:2 such that said glass precursor melt has a desired low viscosity at a temperature in the range of 900 C to 1700 C;
- (b) refining said glass precursor melt, wherein said low viscosity of said glass precursor melt promotes release of gaseous reactions products from said glass precursor melt that evolved upon decomposition of said one or more as releasing glass network modifiers in said step (a);
- and then
- (c) dissolving additional raw materials in said refined glass precursor melt to form a glass product melt composition having a higher viscosity than said glass precursor melt at the same temperature.
A process for making a glass product melt composition, which includes the steps of:
- (a) providing raw materials including a glass network former and gas releasing glass network modifiers, wherein said glass network former is selected from the group consisting of elements and compounds of silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), and boron (B) and said gas releasing glass network modifiers are selected from the group consisting of compounds of alkali metals and compounds of alkaline earth metals;
- (b) melting and reacting said raw materials to form a precursor solution in liquid phase having a glass network modifier to glass network former molar ratio in the range of 2:1.5 to 1:2 such that said precursor solution has a desired low viscosity at a temperature in the range of 900 C to 1700 C;
- (c) refining said precursor solution, wherein said low viscosity of said precursor solution promotes release of gaseous reactions products from said precursor solution that evolved upon decomposition of said gas releasing glass network modifiers in said step (b);
- and then
- (d) dissolving additional raw materials in said precursor solution to form a final glass melt, wherein said additional raw materials include an additional amount of said glass network former and said final glass melt includes a greater percentage of said glass network former than said precursor solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.