Glass ceramic armor material

1. Antiballistic armor comprising:

a transparent glass-ceramic component, the glass-ceramic component comprising

50 to 70 weight percent SiO 2 ,

15 to 25 weight percent Al 2 O 3 ,

0.5 to 5 weight percent ZrO 2 ,

0.1 to 10 weight percent Li 2 O, and

1 to 5 weight percent TiO 2 , wherein the transparent glass ceramic component has a main crystalline phase that comprises keatite mixed crystal having a composition of LiAlSi x O y , wherein x is in a range of 2 to 4 and y is in a range of 6 to 10, and wherein the transparent glass ceramic component has a mean crystallite size of less than 0.1 micrometers.

2. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , wherein the glass ceramic component comprises the keatite mixed crystal in a proportion of 60 to 98 volume percent.

3. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , wherein the glass ceramic component further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of BaO, CaO, K 2 O, MgO, Na 2 O, P 2 O 5 , SnO 2 , As 2 O 3 , Sb 2 O 3 , V 2 O 5 , CoO, NiO, Fe 2 O 3 , and any combinations thereof.

4. The antiballistic armor according to claim 3 , wherein the component is present in an amount of greater than 0 weight percent and up to 5 weight percent.

5. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , wherein the glass ceramic component comprises crystallites having a mean crystallite radius of less than 30 nanometers and a refractive index difference in relation to a residual glass phase of less than 0.3.

6. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , wherein the keatite mixed crystals have a mean crystallite radius that is at most 100 nanometers and a transmission in a visible region of at least 0.7.

7. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , wherein the keatite mixed crystals have a mean crystallite radius that is at most 50 nanometers and a transmission in a visible region of at least 0.8.

8. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , wherein the glass-ceramic component is configured for use as a portable personal protection device, a glazing, a visor, or a protective glass.

9. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , further comprising an additional armor element that is softer than the glass-ceramic component, the glass-ceramic component being arranged in front of, in a direction of action, the additional armor element.

10. A method for producing transparent antiballistic armor, comprising:

providing a starting glass for a glass-ceramic component, the starting glass comprising 50 to 70 weight percent SiO 2 , 15 to 25 weight percent Al 2 O 3 , 0.5 to 5 weight percent ZrO 2 , 0.1 to 10 weight percent Li 2 O, and 1 to 5 weight percent TiO 2 ;

subjecting the starting glass to a thermal treatment at temperatures above a temperature of a maximum rate of deposition of a high-quartz mixed crystal;

depositing keatite mixed crystal in a composition of LiAlSi x O y , wherein x is in a range of 2 to 4 and y is in a range of 6 to 10; and

limiting a mean crystallite size by variation of a temperature-time regimen during ceramicization to less than 0.1 micrometer to produce the transparent antiballistic armor.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising depositing the keatite mixed crystal with a proportion of between 60 and 98 volume percent.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the starting glass further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of BaO, CaO, K 2 O, MgO, Na 2 O, P 2 O 5 , SnO 2 , As 2 O 3 , Sb 2 O 3 , V 2 O 5 , CoO, NiO, Fe 2 O 3 , and any combinations thereof.

13. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising selecting the starting glass such that a refractive index of a residual glass phase deviates by less than ±0.3 from a refractive index of a crystalline phase.

14. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising selecting the starting glass and controlling a temperature during ceramicization such that crystallites a provided having a mean crystallite radius of less than 100 nm and a refractive index difference in relation to the residual glass phase of less than 0.1.

15. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising forming a composite of the keatite mixed crystal with a fiber-reinforced polymer and/or a transparent plastic plate or film.

16. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , wherein the glass-ceramic component has a transmission in the visible region that is at least 0.8.

17. The antiballistic armor according to claim 1 , wherein the glass-ceramic component has a transmission in the visible region that is at least 0.7.

18. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the transparent antiballistic armor has a transmission in the visible region that is at least 0.8.

19. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the transparent antiballistic armor has a transmission in the visible region that is at least 0.7.