A composite ceramic powder of the present invention includes: a LAS-based ceramic powder having precipitated therein -eucryptite or a -quartz solid solution as a main crystal; and TiO.sub.2 powder and/or ZrO.sub.2 powder,.

There is disclosed a heat-insulating member including a pair of substrates and an airtight sealing part, in which the airtight sealing part is formed in an outer peripheral part between the pair of substrates to form a space between the pair of substrates, the space being in a vacuum or reduced pressure state, a sealing material that forms the airtight sealing part includes a low-melting glass, and the low-melting glass contains a vanadium oxide, barium oxide, phosphorus oxide, and tungsten oxide, in which the following two relational expressions are satisfied in terms of oxide contents: V.sub.2O.sub.5+BaO+P.sub.2O.sub.5+WO.sub.390 and V.sub.2O.sub.5>BaO>P.sub.2O.sub.5>WO.sub.3 (wherein unit: mol %). Thereby, influence on environmental impact can be reduced and maintenance of airtightness and an improvement in acid resistance can be achieved.

There is disclosed a heat-insulating member including a pair of substrates and an airtight sealing part, in which the airtight sealing part is formed in an outer peripheral part between the pair of substrates to form a space between the pair of substrates, the space being in a vacuum or reduced pressure state, a sealing material that forms the airtight sealing part includes a low-melting glass, and the low-melting glass contains a vanadium oxide, barium oxide, phosphorus oxide, and tungsten oxide, in which the following two relational expressions are satisfied in terms of oxide contents: V.sub.2O.sub.5+BaO+P.sub.2O.sub.5+WO.sub.390 and V.sub.2O.sub.5>BaO>P.sub.2O.sub.5>WO.sub.3 (wherein unit: mol %). Thereby, influence on environmental impact can be reduced and maintenance of airtightness and an improvement in acid resistance can be achieved.

An optical boroaluminate glass article comprises: from greater than or equal to 10.0 mol % to less than or equal to 30.0 mol % Al.sub.2O.sub.3; from greater than or equal to 10.0 mol % to less than or equal to 55.0 mol % CaO; from greater than or equal to 10.0 mol % to less than or equal to 25.0 mol % B.sub.2O.sub.3; from greater than or equal to 0.0 mol % to less than or equal to 30.0 mol % SiO.sub.2; and from greater than or equal to 1.0 mol % to less than or equal to 20.0 mol % refractive index raising components. The optical boroaluminate glass article has a refractive index of the glass article, measured at 589.3 nm, of greater than or equal to 1.62, and a density of less than or equal to 4.00 g/cm.sup.3.

Provided is a ceramic powder having precipitated therein -eucryptite or a -quartz solid solution as a main crystal phase, having an average particle diameter D.sub.50 of 20 m or less, and having a negative thermal expansion coefficient in a range of from 30 C. to 300 C.

The present invention provides a ceramic powder, in which -eucryptite or a -quartz solid solution is precipitated as a main crystal phase, and which includes TiO.sub.2 and/or ZrO.sub.2.

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses for adding thermal energy to a glass melt. Apparatuses for generating a thermal plasma disclosed herein comprise an electrode, a grounded electrode, a dielectric plasma confinement vessel extending between the two electrodes, and a magnetic field generator extending around the dielectric plasma confinement vessel. Also disclosed herein are methods for fining molten glass comprising generating a thermal plasma using the apparatuses disclosed herein and contacting the molten glass with the thermal plasma. Glass structures produced according to these methods are also disclosed herein.

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses for adding thermal energy to a glass melt. Apparatuses for generating a thermal plasma disclosed herein comprise an electrode, a grounded electrode, a dielectric plasma confinement vessel extending between the two electrodes, and a magnetic field generator extending around the dielectric plasma confinement vessel. Also disclosed herein are methods for fining molten glass comprising generating a thermal plasma using the apparatuses disclosed herein and contacting the molten glass with the thermal plasma. Glass structures produced according to these methods are also disclosed herein.

Embodiments are directed to glass frits containing phosphors that can be used in LED lighting devices and for methods associated therewith for making the phosphor containing glass frit and their use in glass articles, for example, LED devices.

Embodiments are directed to glass frits containing phosphors that can be used in LED lighting devices and for methods associated therewith for making the phosphor containing glass frit and their use in glass articles, for example, LED devices.