A method of making a glass-ceramic article includes synthesizing a feedstock gel that includes a base oxide network comprising Na.sub.2O, CaO, and SiO.sub.2, in which a molar ratio of Na.sub.2O:CaO:SiO.sub.2 in the gel is 1:2:3, and then converting the feedstock gel into a glass-ceramic article such as a container or a partially-formed container. The conversion of the feedstock gel into a glass-ceramic container may be performed at a temperature that does not exceed 900 C. and may include the steps of pressing the feedstock gel into a compressed solid green-body, sintering the green-body into a solid monolithic body of a glass-ceramic material, deforming the solid monolithic glass-ceramic body into a glass-ceramic preform, and cooling the preform. A glass-ceramic article having a glass-ceramic material that has a molar ratio of Na.sub.2O:CaO:SiO.sub.2 that is 1:2:3 is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a composite material, particularly a composite material for ceramic tiles, stone cladding, surface tops (e.g. worktops), and the like. The composite materials are typically derived from waste products. The composite materials of the present invention are formed from a glass component and a non-glass mineral component (e.g. ceramics and/or glaze). Generally the composite materials do not require any binders (especially synthetic binders) to hold the materials together. Therefore, the composite materials and products made therefrom are typically recyclable.

A method of producing silica nanoparticles using sand can include mixing white sand with H.sub.2SO.sub.4 and H.sub.3PO.sub.4 to form a mixture. The mixture can be stirred in an ice bath. KMnO.sub.4 can then be added to the mixture while maintaining the temperature of the mixture below 5 C. The resulting suspension can be reacted for about 3 hours to about 5 hours on ice. The suspension is stirred in an ice bath and then maintained in a water bath at a temperature of 40 C. for about 90 minutes to about 120 minutes. Afterwards, the temperature is adjusted to and maintained at 98 C. for another period of about 90 minutes to about 120 minutes while adding water. H.sub.2O.sub.2 can be added to the suspension after adding the water to produce a reaction product with a precipitate. The reaction product can then be dried and calcinated to provide the silica nanoparticles.

A method for producing a solid body of glass is described. The method comprises providing a polymerisable composition, curing the polymerisable composition to obtain a cured body, subjecting the cured body to thermal debinding to substantially remove the organic components in the cured body, and subjecting the cured body to sintering to obtain a solid body of silica glass. The polymerisable composition one or more at least partially organic polymerisable compound(s) which form a liquid composition at operating temperature and a solid source of silica as colloidal silica particles or silica glass micro-/nanoparticles dispersed in the liquid composition. The one or more at least partially organic polymerisable compounds comprises at least one organosilicon compound as a second source of silica that is liquid or solubilisable in the liquid composition at operating temperature to thereby increase the silica loading of the cured body prior to sintering. Compositions and methods for producing solid glass objects by additive manufacturing are also described.

The present invention relates to a moldable nanocomposite for producing a transparent article made of multicomponent fused silica glass, the moldable nanocomposite comprising: an organic binder; and a fused silica glass powder dispersed in the organic binder, the fused silica glass powder comprising fused silica glass particles having a diameter in the range from 5 nm to 500 nm, wherein the fused silica glass powder is pre-modified with a dopant and/or wherein at least one non-crystalline modifying agent is contained in the moldable nanocomposite and one or more dopant reagents selected from organoelement compounds, metal complexes and salts are contained in the moldable nanocomposite as the at least one non-crystalline modifying agent, and wherein the content of the fused silica glass powder in the moldable nanocomposite is at least 5 parts per volume based on 100 parts per volume of the organic binder. Further, the present invention relates to a method of producing a transparent article made of multicomponent fused silica glass.

The present invention relates to a moldable nanocomposite for producing a transparent article made of multicomponent fused silica glass, the moldable nanocomposite comprising: an organic binder; and a fused silica glass powder dispersed in the organic binder, the fused silica glass powder comprising fused silica glass particles having a diameter in the range from 5 nm to 500 nm, wherein the fused silica glass powder is pre-modified with a dopant and/or wherein at least one non-crystalline modifying agent is contained in the moldable nanocomposite and one or more dopant reagents selected from organoelement compounds, metal complexes and salts are contained in the moldable nanocomposite as the at least one non-crystalline modifying agent, and wherein the content of the fused silica glass powder in the moldable nanocomposite is at least 5 parts per volume based on 100 parts per volume of the organic binder. Further, the present invention relates to a method of producing a transparent article made of multicomponent fused silica glass.

A cover substrate for an electronic device including greater than or equal to 1% by weight post-consumer recycled cover substrate. A method of forming the cover substrate including the steps of (i) determining the composition of the post-consumer recycled cover substrate, (ii) determining the maximum amount of the post-consumer recycled cover substrate that can be added to a predetermined batch without causing the resulting cover substrate to fall out of specification, and (iii) forming the cover substrate from the combined recycled post-consumer cover substrate and the predetermined batch. Additionally, a method that includes steps of (i) determining the composition of the post-consumer recycled cover substrate, (ii) determining a target weight percentage of the post-consumer recycled cover substrate in a cover substrate, and (iii) determining weight percentages of other oxides to be added to the target weight percentage for the resulting combination to produce the cover substrate with a desired composition.

A material, especially a glassy material of pyrophosphate type, corresponding to the general formula (I): {[(M.sup.2+).sub.1x(R.sup.+).sub.2x].sub.2[(P.sub.2O.sub.7.sup.4).sub.1y(PO.sub.4.sup.3).sub.4y/3]} n(H.sub.2O) in which x and y are positive rational numbers each between 0 and 0.8, and n is such that the weight percentage of water in the material is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 95. M.sup.2+ represents a bivalent ion of a metal chosen from calcium, magnesium, strontium, copper, zinc, cobalt, manganese and nickel, or any mixture of such bivalent ions. R.sup.+ represents a monovalent ion of a metal selected from potassium, lithium, sodium, and silver, or any mixture of such monovalent ions. This material in particular can be used in manufacturing of bone replacements or prosthesis coatings.

A method is provided to clean glass mixed with non-glass undifferentiated trash. In the method, the glass pieces are kept as large as possible to thereby minimize the amount of surface area that needs to be cleaned. The glass pieces are cleaned without washing the glass pieces with water or a surfactant during the cleaning process. The non-glass contaminants are liberated from the glass by drying and abrasion, and then removed from the glass by screening and density separation.

A glass precursor gel and methods of melting the glass precursor gel are disclosed. The glass precursor gel contains a bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix that contains one or more synthesis byproducts. One method includes obtaining the glass precursor gel with the bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix having one or more synthesis byproducts, exposing the glass precursor gel to microwave radiation, and heating and/or melting the glass precursor gel into a molten glass with the microwave radiation by way of the one or more synthesis byproducts.