A glass ceramic seal is formed from a precursor material that includes from 80 mol % to 100 mol % of a primary component containing, on an oxide basis, from 25 mol % to 55 mol % SiO.sub.2, from 20 mol % to 45 mol % CaO, from 5 mol % to 30 mol % MgO, and from 0 mol % to 15 mol % Al.sub.2O.sub.3.

Disclosed herein are laminated glass articles having a hard scratch resistant outer surface. In some embodiments, the laminated glass article includes a glass core layer and a glass clad layer. In some embodiments, the laminated glass article includes a glass core layer sandwiched between two glass clad layers. In some embodiments, the clad glass is selected from the group of consisting of: aluminate glasses; oxynitride glasses; rare earth/transition metal glasses; beryl glasses; and glasses containing lithium, zirconium, or both lithium and zirconium. Such glass compositions can thus be used in forming the clad layer.

Disclosed herein are laminated glass articles having a hard scratch resistant outer surface. In some embodiments, the laminated glass article includes a glass core layer and a glass clad layer. In some embodiments, the laminated glass article includes a glass core layer sandwiched between two glass clad layers. In some embodiments, the clad glass is selected from the group of consisting of: aluminate glasses; oxynitride glasses; rare earth/transition metal glasses; beryl glasses; and glasses containing lithium, zirconium, or both lithium and zirconium. Such glass compositions can thus be used in forming the clad layer.

A light guide plate includes: an optical glass, the optical glass having a refractive index n.sub.d of at least 1.75 or of at least 1.80 and including Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 in an amount of at least 15 mol % and P.sub.2O.sub.5 in an amount of at least 19 mol %, the light guide plate having an internal transmission of at least 0.80 or of at least 0.90, measured at a wavelength of 440 nm and a sample thickness of 10 mm.

Provided is an optical glass plate having a high refractive index and excellent visible light transmittance. An optical glass plate characterized by containing as a glass composition at least one selected from Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, La.sub.2O.sub.3, and Gd.sub.2O.sub.3, the optical glass plate having a refractive index (nd) of 1.90 to 2.30 and an internal transmittance τ.sub.450 of 75% or greater for a thickness of 10 mm at a wavelength of 450 nm.

Provided is an optical glass plate having a high refractive index and excellent visible light transmittance. An optical glass plate characterized by containing as a glass composition at least one selected from Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, La.sub.2O.sub.3, and Gd.sub.2O.sub.3, the optical glass plate having a refractive index (nd) of 1.90 to 2.30 and an internal transmittance τ.sub.450 of 75% or greater for a thickness of 10 mm at a wavelength of 450 nm.

A glass article is provided (and methods of making the same) that includes: a glass substrate comprising a thickness and a first primary surface; and a porosity-graded layer that extends from the first primary surface of the substrate to a first depth within the substrate. The first depth is from about 250 nm to about 3000 nm. The porosity-graded layer comprises a plurality of pores having an average pore size from about 5 nm to 100 nm. The article comprises a single-side average reflectance of less than 9% at an incident angle of 60 degrees across a spectrum from 350 nm to 2000 nm. Further, the porosity-graded layer comprises a surface porosity at the first primary surface and a bulk porosity at the first depth, the surface porosity greater than the bulk porosity.

A glass article is provided (and methods of making the same) that includes: a glass substrate comprising a thickness and a first primary surface; and a porosity-graded layer that extends from the first primary surface of the substrate to a first depth within the substrate. The first depth is from about 250 nm to about 3000 nm. The porosity-graded layer comprises a plurality of pores having an average pore size from about 5 nm to 100 nm. The article comprises a single-side average reflectance of less than 9% at an incident angle of 60 degrees across a spectrum from 350 nm to 2000 nm. Further, the porosity-graded layer comprises a surface porosity at the first primary surface and a bulk porosity at the first depth, the surface porosity greater than the bulk porosity.

A conductive paste for forming external electrodes for a multilayer ceramic electronic component. The paste contains a glass composition containing (a) BaO, (b) at least one of SrO and CaO, (c) ZnO, (d) B.sub.2O.sub.3, and (e) at least one selected from the group consisting of SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and TiO.sub.2, in which the total content percentage of BaO, SrO, and CaO is 30 mol % or more, the molar ratio represented by B.sub.2O.sub.3/(SiO.sub.2+Al.sub.2O.sub.3+TiO.sub.2) is 0.7 to 1.5, and the content percentage of ZnO is 0 to 5 mol %.

A conductive paste for forming external electrodes for a multilayer ceramic electronic component. The paste contains a glass composition containing (a) BaO, (b) at least one of SrO and CaO, (c) ZnO, (d) B.sub.2O.sub.3, and (e) at least one selected from the group consisting of SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and TiO.sub.2, in which the total content percentage of BaO, SrO, and CaO is 30 mol % or more, the molar ratio represented by B.sub.2O.sub.3/(SiO.sub.2+Al.sub.2O.sub.3+TiO.sub.2) is 0.7 to 1.5, and the content percentage of ZnO is 0 to 5 mol %.