A method for producing a glass ceramic includes: providing a batch of raw materials; heating the batch of raw materials until a melt is obtained, the batch of raw materials being heated at least in a plurality of sections to a temperature above T3 which corresponds to a viscosity of a molten glass of 10.sup.3 dPa*s; refining the melt, the melt being heated at least in a plurality of sections to a temperature above T2.5 which corresponds to a viscosity of the molten glass of 10.sup.2.5 dPa*s; obtaining a refined glass which is configured for being ceramized to form a glass ceramic material; and ceramizing a glass which is configured for being ceramized to form the glass ceramic material, at least one of the step of heating until the melt is obtained and the step of refining being performed with heating by way of H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 combustion.

Apparatus for cleaning contaminated aggregate includes at least one channel arranged in use to receive a liquid containing contaminated aggregate; and first and second banks or groups of at least one jet. The first bank or group of jets is arranged to direct pressurized fluid at the contaminated aggregate in order to agitate the contaminated aggregate against a surface and promote the separation of cleaned aggregate from contaminated aggregate. The second bank or group of jets is arranged to direct and/or urge the cleaned aggregate to a drainage outlet.

A method for melting and/or refining glass, glass ceramic or glass which can be ceramized to form glass ceramic includes: providing a batch of raw materials; heating the batch until a melt of molten glass is obtained, the batch being heated at least in sections to a temperature above T3 which corresponds to a viscosity of the molten glass of 10.sup.3 dPa*s; refining the melt, the melt being heated at least in sections to a temperature above T2.5 which corresponds to a viscosity of the molten glass of 10.sup.2.5 dPa*s, refining of the melt includes adjusting an oxygen partial pressure p(O.sub.2) which is reduced by at least 60% relative to an O.sub.2 saturation in the melt at temperature T3; and obtaining a re-fined glass, a refined glass ceramic or a refined glass which can be ceramized to form glass ceramic.

A continuous sol-gel process for producing silicate-containing glasses and glass ceramics is proposed, comprising the following steps: (a) continuously feeding a silicon tetraalkoxide, a silicon alkoxide with at least one non-alcoholic functional group and an alcohol into a first reactor (R1), and at least partially hydrolyzing by the addition of a mineral acid to obtain a first product stream (A); (b) continuously providing a second product stream (B) in a second reactor (R2) by feeding a metal alkoxide component or continuously mixing an alcohol and a metal alkoxide component; (c) continuously mixing product streams (A) and (B) in a third reactor (R3) for producing a presol to obtain a third product stream (C); (d) continuously adding water or a diluted acid to the product stream (C) to obtain a sol (gelation); (e) continuously filling the emerging sol into molds to obtain an aquagel; (f) drying the aquagels to obtain xerogels; (g) sintering the xerogels to obtain silicate-containing glasses and glass ceramics.

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.

A method of forming a glass sheet comprises: (a) forming a ribbon of glass from molten glass with a pair of forming rollers; (b) reducing horizontal temperature variability of the ribbon of glass to be 10° C. or less across 80 percent of an entire width of the ribbon of glass before the ribbon of glass cools to a glass transition temperature; (c) controlling a cooling rate of the ribbon of glass while the ribbon of glass moves vertically downward within a setting zone such that the ribbon of glass has a first average cooling rate before the ribbon of glass cools to the glass transition temperature and a second average cooling rate after the ribbon of glass cools to the glass transition temperature, the first average cooling rate being less than the second average cooling rate; and (d) separating a glass sheet from the ribbon of glass.

To provide a method for recycling a solar cell module glass, which enables development of other novel applications of a waste glass of a solar cell module while controlling an elution amount of Sb from the waste glass into water. Disclosed is a method for recycling a solar cell module glass, the method comprising: grinding a solar cell module glass into a glass powder; adding at least one foaming agent selected from SiC, CaCO.sub.3 and a seashell, and a particular inhibitor to the glass powder to produce a mixture; and heating the mixture to 700 to 1,100° C. to produce a foam glass.

A glass-ceramic component is provided that has a low average coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and a high CTE homogeneity. The use of such a component and a process for producing such a component are also provided.

A glass-ceramic component is provided that has a low average coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and a high CTE homogeneity. The use of such a component and a process for producing such a component are also provided.

A fining package for a glass composition may include cerium dioxide (CeO.sub.2) and tin oxide (SnO.sub.2). CeO.sub.2 may be present in an amount of 0.08 to 0.5 wt % of the glass composition, and SnO.sub.2 may be present in an amount of 0.02 to 0.23 wt % of the glass composition. The glass composition may be used to form glass tubing. The glass tubing may be used to form a pharmaceutical packaging. For example, the pharmaceutical packaging may comprise an ampoule. The fining package may further include chloride (Cl) in an amount of 0 to 0.03 wt % of the glass composition. In some instances, the fining package may be Cl-free. In some instances, the fining package may be F-free. The glass composition may comprise a borosilicate glass composition. The glass composition may comprise an aluminosilicate glass composition.