A chemically toughenable or toughened sheet-like glass article is provided. The article has a glass with a composition comprising Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, Li.sub.2O, and Na.sub.2O, wherein (Al.sub.2O.sub.3)−(Li.sub.2O+Na.sub.2O), in mol %, is less than 0; a thickness between 0.3 mm and 4 mm; a light transmittance of at least 0.001% to at most 60% at 450 nm, of at least 0.001% to at most 30% at 540 nm, and of at least 0.001% to at most 30% at 630 nm; and an IR transmittance of at least 10% to not more than 99% at any wavelength in a wavelength range from 900 nm to 1100 nm. The light and IR transmittances are determined for a thickness of the article of 1 mm.

Process for the preparation of hollow spherical glass particles comprising at least SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and an alkali metal oxide, wherein the process comprises the preparation of precursor particles comprising at least SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and an alkali metal oxide by mixing the starting materials, slurrying the starting materials with water followed by spry-drying and heat-treating the obtained precursor-particles at a temperature from 1000° C. to 1800° C., preferably from 1300° C. to 1600° C. by contacting the precursor particles with at least one naked flame.

Process for the preparation of hollow spherical glass particles comprising at least SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and an alkali metal oxide, wherein the process comprises the preparation of precursor particles comprising at least SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and an alkali metal oxide by mixing the starting materials, slurrying the starting materials with water followed by spry-drying and heat-treating the obtained precursor-particles at a temperature from 1000° C. to 1800° C., preferably from 1300° C. to 1600° C. by contacting the precursor particles with at least one naked flame.

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.

The present invention relates to a glass including, in terms of mole percentage based on oxides: 52% to 70% of SiO.sub.2; 14% to 25% of Al.sub.2O.sub.3; 10% to 18% of Li.sub.2O; 1% to 7% of Na.sub.2O; 0.1% to 5% of K.sub.2O; 0% to 10% of B.sub.2O.sub.3; 0% to 5% of P.sub.2O.sub.5; 0% to 5% of MgO; 0% to 5% of ZnO; 0% to 2% of ZrO.sub.2; and 0% to 5% of Y.sub.2O.sub.3, in which a parameter M is 20 or less, the parameter M being determined by the following formula, M=−1.15×[SiO.sub.2]−1.73×[Al.sub.2O.sub.3]+0.155×[Li.sub.2O]+0.74×[Na.sub.2O]−4.75×[K.sub.2O]−2.1×[B.sub.2O.sub.3]−2.17×[P.sub.2O.sub.5]+3.25×[MgO]−2.0×[ZnO]−13.3×[ZrO.sub.2]−0.80×[Y.sub.2O.sub.3]+120.

A toughenable glass article includes a glass and has a thickness of less than 100 μm and a cooling state which is such that, after chemical toughening to a depth of 30% of the thickness, the glass article has a relative thermal length change potential in a range from −1500 ppm to ≤0 ppm.

A toughenable glass article includes a glass and has a thickness of less than 100 μm and a cooling state which is such that, after chemical toughening to a depth of 30% of the thickness, the glass article has a relative thermal length change potential in a range from −1500 ppm to ≤0 ppm.

The present invention relates to a glass ceramic material comprising a core-rim structure, wherein the core-rim structure comprises an amorphous SiO.sub.2 matrix, ZrO.sub.2 crystals, and hardness-enhancing additive, the ZrO.sub.2 crystals are present in cores that are at least partly surrounded by a rim comprising hardness-enhancing additive.

The present invention relates to a glass ceramic material comprising a core-rim structure, wherein the core-rim structure comprises an amorphous SiO.sub.2 matrix, ZrO.sub.2 crystals, and hardness-enhancing additive, the ZrO.sub.2 crystals are present in cores that are at least partly surrounded by a rim comprising hardness-enhancing additive.