Method for treating vitreous materials by thermal poling

1. A method for treating a silicate-type glass comprising alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides or IIIA metal oxides, said method comprising:

(a) incorporating nitrogen into a surface of the silicate-type glass whereby a material comprising nitrogen is obtained, and

(b) thermal poling treatment of the material comprising nitrogen from (a) under a chemically inert controlled atmosphere,

wherein the material comprising nitrogen is placed between an anode and a cathode without direct contact between the material comprising nitrogen and the anode.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein (a) comprises a thermal treatment of the silicate-type glass at a temperature greater than or equal to 150° C. in a nitrogen-controlled atmosphere.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the temperature is 200° C. to 500° C. in (a).

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein in (a) the atmosphere comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of N 2 and NH 3 .

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein in (a) the atmosphere comprises nitrogen N 2 , or a mixture of nitrogen and an inert gas selected from the group consisting of Ar and He.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in (b) the material comprising nitrogen is maintained at a temperature ranging from 150 to 500° C. and exposed to an electric field having a voltage of 0.1 to 10 kV.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in (b), the controlled atmosphere consists essentially of a gas selected from the group consisting of dry air, O 2 , N 2 , Ar, He, and a mixture of two or more of these gases.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein in (b) the controlled atmosphere consists essentially of N 2 nitrogen.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein in (b) the material comprising nitrogen is maintained at a temperature of from 200 to 300° C.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the silicate-type glass has a mass composition of 0 to 40% Al 2 O 3 ; 50 to 97% SiO 2 ; 0 to 15% B 2 O 3 ; 0 to 25% ZnO; 0% to 5% ZrO 2 ; 0 to 10% TiO 2 ; 0 to 40% Na 2 O; 0 to 40% Li 2 O; 0 to 40% K 2 O; 0 to 40% MgO; 0 to 50% CaO; 0 to 40% SrO; 0 to 40% BaO; 0 to 15% Ag 2 O; 0 to 15% Au 2 O 3 , Au 2 O; 0 to 15% Cu 2 O, and at least 95% by weight of the components, relative to the total mass of the glass, that are selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 ; SiO 2 ; B 2 O 3 ; ZnO; ZrO 2 ; TiO 2 ; Na 2 O; Li 2 O; K 2 O; MgO; CaO; SrO; BaO; Ag 2 O; Au 2 O 3 ; Au 2 O; and Cu 2 O.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the silicate-type glass used is a glass of the composition, defined in % by mass, of from 60 to 74% of SiO 2 , 8.2 to 16.4% of Na 2 O, 3.2 to 7.40% CaO, 2.8 to 4.30% MgO, 0.3 to 1.20% Al 2 O 3 , 0.3 to 1.20% K 2 O and 0.1 to 0.30% SO 3 .

12. A method for

improving durability of glazing of a silicate-type glass comprising alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides or IIIA metal oxides; or

improving scratch resistance of a digital/tactile screen comprising alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides or IIIA metal oxides; or

increasing resistance to abrasion of a mirror comprising alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides or IIIA metal oxides;

said method comprising:

(a) incorporating nitrogen into a surface of the silicate-type glass whereby a material comprising nitrogen is obtained, and

(b) thermal poling treatment of the material comprising nitrogen from (a) under a chemically inert controlled atmosphere,

wherein the material comprising nitrogen is placed between an anode and a cathode without direct contact between the material comprising nitrogen and the anode.

13. A method of manufacturing:

a building glazing comprising a silicate-type glass comprising alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides or IIIA metal oxides; or

a solar panel mirror comprising a silicate-type glass comprising alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides or IIIA metal oxides; or

a screen for electronic devices comprising a silicate-type glass comprising alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides or IIIA metal oxides; or

a fiberglass comprising a silicate: type glass comprising alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides or IIIA metal oxides;

said method comprising:

(a) incorporating nitrogen into a surface of the silicate-type glass whereby a material comprising nitrogen is obtained, and

(b) thermal poling treatment of the material comprising nitrogen from (a) under a chemically inert controlled atmosphere,

wherein the material comprising nitrogen is placed between an anode and a cathode without direct contact between the material comprising nitrogen and the anode.