IP Library Granted Patent US 7,490,486
Granted Patent B2
US 7,490,486 · App. 10/480,183 · Granted Feb 17, 2009

Method for producing borosilicate glasses

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,490,486
App. No.
10/480,183
Granted
Feb 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The process of producing a refined borosilicate glass includes preparing a glass batch with a composition in wt. % on the basis of oxide content of SiO 2, 65-82; Al 2 O 3 , 2-8; B 2 O 3 , 5-13; MgO+CaO+SrO +BaO+ZnO, 0-7; ZrO 2 , 0-2; and Li 2 O+Na 2 O+K 2 O, 3-10; adding 0.05 wt. % to 0.6 wt. % of sulfate(s) expressed as SO 3 to the glass batch as the refining agent; melting the glass batch including the refining agent to form melted glass; and then hot-shaping the borosilicate glass. The refining agent may also include from 0.01 wt. % to 0.6 wt. % of F − or from 0.015 wt. % to 0.6 wt. of Cl − . The sulfate is preferably an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal sulfate or sulfates.

Claims (183)

1. A process of producing a refined borosilicate glass having a hydrolytic class 1, said process comprising the steps of:

a) preparing a glass batch with a composition, in wt. % on the basis of oxide content, consisting of:

SiO 2

65-82

Al 2 O 3

2-8

B 2 O 3

 5-13

MgO + CaO + SrO + BaO + ZnO

0-7

ZrO 2

0-2

Li 2 O + Na 2 O + K 2 O

 3-10

b) adding a refining agent to said glass batch, said refining agent consisting of from 0.01 wt. % to 0.8 wt. % of at least one sulfate, expressed as an equivalent amount of SO 3 , and from 0.005 wt. % to 1.0 wt. % of fluoride;

c) melting said glass batch including the refining agent added in step b) to form melted glass; and then

d) hot-shaping said glass.

2. The process as defined in claim 1 , in which from 0.05 wt. % to 0.6 wt. % of said at least one sulfate, expressed as an equivalent amount of SO 3, is added to said glass batch as said refining agent.

3. The process as defined in claim 1 , in which said refining agent consists of 0.01 wt. % to 0.8 wt. % of said at least one sulfate, expressed as an equivalent amount of SO 3, and from 0.01 wt. % to 0.6 wt. % of said fluoride.

4. The process as defined in claim 1 , in which said composition of said glass batch, in wt. % on the basis of oxide content, consists of:

SiO 2

75-82

Al 2 O 3

2-6

B 2 O 3

10-13

Na 2 O

3-5

K 2 O

 0-1.

5. The process as defined in claim 1 , in which said composition of said glass batch, in wt. % on the basis of oxide content, consists of:

SiO 2

70-75

B 2 O 3

 7-10

Al 2 O 3

3-7

Li 2 O

0-1

Na 2 O

6-8

K 2 O

0-3

Li 2 O + Na 2 O + K 2 O

 6-10

MgO

0-1

CaO

0-2

BaO

 0-4.

6. The process as defined in claim 1 , in which said composition of said glass batch, in wt. % on the basis of oxide content, consists of:

SiO 2

70-76

Al 2 O 3

2-7

B 2 O 3

 5-13

MgO

0-1

CaO

0-3

BaO

0-4

ZnO

0-2

MgO + CaO + BaO + ZnO

0-7

ZrO 2

0-2

Li 2 O

0-1

Na 2 O

1-8

K 2 O

0-6

Li 2 O + Na 2 O + K 2 O

  4-10.

7. The process as defined in claim 1 , in which said composition of said glass batch, in wt. % on the basis of oxide content, consists of:

SiO 2

72-75

Al 2 O 3

5-6

B 2 O 3

 7-10

MgO

0-1

CaO

0.3-1  

BaO

  0-2.5

ZnO

0-3

MgO + CaO + BaO + ZnO

0.3-5  

Li 2 O

0-1

Na 2 O

5.5-7.5

K 2 O

    0-<1.5

Li 2 O + Na 2 O + K 2 O

 5.5-7.5.

8. The process as defined in claim 1 , in which said at least one sulfate is one or more components selected from the group consisting of CaSO 4, ZnSO 4, MgSO 4, Na 2 SO 4 and BaSO 4 .

9. The process as defined in claim 1 , in which said at least one sulfate is Na 2 SO 4 .

10. The process as defined in claim 1 , wherein said at least one sulfate is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal sulfates and alkaline earth metal sulfates.

11. A process of producing a refined borosilicate glass having a hydrolytic class 1, said process comprising the steps of:

a) preparing a glass batch with a compositions, in wt. % on the basis of oxide content, consisting of:

SiO 2

70-75

Al 2 O 3

4.5-7  

B 2 O 3

   9.5-<11.5

MgO

0-2

CaO

0.5-2  

SrO

0-3

BaO

0-1

ZnO

0-2

MgO + CaO + SrO + BaO + ZnO

1-7

ZrO 2

0-1

Li 2 O

0-1

Na 2 O

5-8

K 2 O

0-3

with Li 2 O + Na 2 O + K 2 O

5-9

b) adding a refining agent to said glass batch, said refining agent consisting of from 0.01 wt. % to 0.8 wt. % of at least one sulfate, expressed as an equivalent amount of SO 3 , and from 0.01 wt. % to 0.6 wt. % of fluoride;

c) melting said glass batch including the refining agent added in step b) to form melted glass; and then

d) hot-shaping said glass.

12. The process as defined in claim 11 , in which said composition of said glass batch, in wt. % on the basis of oxide content, consists of:

SiO 2

72-75

Al 2 O 3

4.5-6.5

B 2 O 3

 9.5-<11

CaO

0.5-2  

BaO

0-1

Li 2 O

0-1

Na 2 O

6-8

K 2 O

    0-<1.5

with Li 2 O + Na 2 O + K 2 O

 5-8.

13. The process as defined in claim 11 , wherein said at least one sulfate is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal sulfates and alkaline earth metal sulfates.

14. A process of producing a refined borosilicate glass having a hydrolytic class 1, said process comprising the steps of:

a) preparing a glass batch with a composition, in wt. % on the basis of oxide content, consisting of:

SiO 2

72-75

Al 2 O 3

4.5-6.5

B 2 O 3

   9.5-<11.5

CaO

0.5-2  

BaO

0-1

Li 2 O

0-1

Na 2 O

6-8

K 2 O

    0-<1.5

with Li 2 O + Na 2 O + K 2 O

 5-8;

b) adding a refining agent to said glass batch, said refining agent consisting of from 0.01 wt. % to 0.8 wt. % of at least one sulfate, expressed as an equivalent amount of SO 3 , and from 0.01 wt. % to 0.6 wt. % of fluoride;

c) melting said glass batch including the refining agent added in step b) to form melted glass; and then

d) hot-shaping said glass;

wherein said at least one sulfate is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal sulfates and alkaline earth metal sulfates.