A glass microsphere, comprising: a main body, wherein the main body is solid while including a network of inter-connected pores produced from a phase separation process and thermal and chemical leaching operations, with porosity extending throughout a cross-section of the solid glass microsphere.

A lithium silicate glass ceramic having lithium metasilicate as main crystal phase and having not more than 30 wt.-% of lithium metasilicate crystals.

A lithium silicate glass ceramic having lithium metasilicate as main crystal phase and having not more than 30 wt.-% of lithium metasilicate crystals.

The present invention provides a silicate glass that can reduce a color change in base material zirconia even when simultaneously fired with an unsintered zirconia. The present invention also provides a dental product using same. The present invention relates to a silicate glass comprising: 65.0 to 90.0 mol % SiO.sub.2, 4.0 to 15.0 mol % Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 1.0 to 10.0 mol % K.sub.2O, 0.1 to 7.0 mol % Na.sub.2O, and 0.01 to 15.0 mol % CaO, the silicate glass being essentially free of B.sub.2O.sub.3, and satisfying the relation {(number of moles of Al.sub.2O.sub.3)/(total number of moles of RO+R.sub.2O)}≥0.70, wherein R in the metal oxide represented by RO represents a metallic element in group 2 or 12 of the periodic table, and R in the metal oxide represented by R.sub.2O represents a metallic element in group 1 of the periodic table. The present invention also relates to a composite comprising the silicate glass and a base material formed of a ceramic; a sintered body as a fired product of the composite; and a dental product comprising the sintered body.

A method for manufacturing an optical fibre includes placing the powdery substance compactly in the fluorine doped tube to form a core section. The core section of the glass preform is defined along a longitudinal axis of the glass preform. In particular, the fluorine doped tube is sintered to solidify the powdery substance. Moreover, the glass preform is heated at high temperature to draw the optical fibre.

An optical fibre including a core region defined along a central longitudinal axis of the optical fibre and a cladding region concentrically surrounds the core region of the optical fibre. In particular, the core region has a first radius r.sub.1 and a first refractive index n.sub.1. Moreover, the cladding has a second radius r.sub.2 and a second refractive index n.sub.2. Furthermore, the optical fibre has a step index profile.

The present invention relates to compositions in the form of precursor glass powders, pastes and preforms comprising said precursor glass powders and glass-ceramics produced from the precursor glass powders, pastes or preforms. The present invention also relates to a method of forming a seal between a first and second material with a glass-ceramic, and a joint comprising a first material, a second material and a glass-ceramic sealing material joining the first and second materials together.

The present invention relates to compositions in the form of precursor glass powders, pastes and preforms comprising said precursor glass powders and glass-ceramics produced from the precursor glass powders, pastes or preforms. The present invention also relates to a method of forming a seal between a first and second material with a glass-ceramic, and a joint comprising a first material, a second material and a glass-ceramic sealing material joining the first and second materials together.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to antimicrobial glass compositions, glasses, and articles. The articles include a glass, which may include a glass phase and a cuprite phase. In other embodiments, the glasses include a plurality of Cu.sup.1+ ions, a degradable phase including B.sub.2O.sub.3, P.sub.2O.sub.5 and K.sub.2O, and a durable phase including SiO.sub.2. Other embodiments include glasses having a plurality of Cu.sup.1+ ions disposed on the surface of the glass and in the glass network and/or the glass matrix. The article may also include a polymer. The glasses and articles disclosed herein exhibit a 2 log reduction or greater in a concentration of at least one of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli, under the EPA Test Method for Efficacy of Copper Alloy as a Sanitizer testing condition and under Modified JIS Z 2801 for Bacteria testing conditions.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to antimicrobial glass compositions, glasses, and articles. The articles include a glass, which may include a glass phase and a cuprite phase. In other embodiments, the glasses include a plurality of Cu.sup.1+ ions, a degradable phase including B.sub.2O.sub.3, P.sub.2O.sub.5 and K.sub.2O, and a durable phase including SiO.sub.2. Other embodiments include glasses having a plurality of Cu.sup.1+ ions disposed on the surface of the glass and in the glass network and/or the glass matrix. The article may also include a polymer. The glasses and articles disclosed herein exhibit a 2 log reduction or greater in a concentration of at least one of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli, under the EPA Test Method for Efficacy of Copper Alloy as a Sanitizer testing condition and under Modified JIS Z 2801 for Bacteria testing conditions.