Annealing treatments for modified titania-silica glasses and the glasses produced by the annealing treatments. The annealing treatments include an isothermal hold that facilitates equalization of non-uniformities in fictive temperature caused by non-uniformities in modifier concentration in the glasses. The annealing treatments may also include heating the glass to a higher temperature following the isothermal hold and holding the glass at that temperature for several hours. Glasses produced by the annealing treatments exhibit high spatial uniformity of CTE, CTE slope, and fictive temperature, including in the presence of a spatially non-uniform concentration of modifier.

Annealing treatments for modified titania-silica glasses and the glasses produced by the annealing treatments. The annealing treatments include an isothermal hold that facilitates equalization of non-uniformities in fictive temperature caused by non-uniformities in modifier concentration in the glasses. The annealing treatments may also include heating the glass to a higher temperature following the isothermal hold and holding the glass at that temperature for several hours. Glasses produced by the annealing treatments exhibit high spatial uniformity of CTE, CTE slope, and fictive temperature, including in the presence of a spatially non-uniform concentration of modifier.

A method for producing a solid electrolyte, comprising: grinding raw materials comprising lithium sulfide and phosphorus sulfide in a hydrocarbon solvent, optionally comprising stirring a slurry comprising the raw materials and the hydrocarbon solvent in a reaction vessel, and optionally, circulating the slurry through a connecting pipe, wherein the method is carried out in an apparatus comprising the grinder, the reaction vessel and the connecting pipe that connects the grinder and the reaction vessel.

A method for producing a solid electrolyte, comprising: grinding raw materials comprising lithium sulfide and phosphorus sulfide in a hydrocarbon solvent, optionally comprising stirring a slurry comprising the raw materials and the hydrocarbon solvent in a reaction vessel, and optionally, circulating the slurry through a connecting pipe, wherein the method is carried out in an apparatus comprising the grinder, the reaction vessel and the connecting pipe that connects the grinder and the reaction vessel.

Provided is a heat insulating window film including a flexible support, and a fibrous metal particles-containing layer containing fibrous metal particles, in which the fibrous metal particles contain silver or an alloy of silver, an average short diameter of the fibrous metal particles is equal to or smaller than 35 nm and an average long diameter is equal to or greater than 5 m, and a content per unit area of fibrous metal particles of the fibrous metal particles-containing layer is equal to or greater than 10 mg/m.sup.2.

Provided is a heat insulating window film including a flexible support, and a fibrous metal particles-containing layer containing fibrous metal particles, in which the fibrous metal particles contain silver or an alloy of silver, an average short diameter of the fibrous metal particles is equal to or smaller than 35 nm and an average long diameter is equal to or greater than 5 m, and a content per unit area of fibrous metal particles of the fibrous metal particles-containing layer is equal to or greater than 10 mg/m.sup.2.

A diffuser material of synthetically produced, pore-containing quartz glass and a method for the manufacture of a molded body consisting fully or in part thereof. The diffuser material has a chemical purity of at least 99.9% SiO.sub.2, a cristobalite content of not more than 1%, and a density in the range of 2.0 to 2.18 g/cm.sup.3. Starting therefrom, to indicate a diffuser material which is improved with respect to diffuse reflectivity with Lambertian behavior over a wide wavelength range, high material homogeneity and UV radiation resistance, the quartz glass has a hydroxyl group content in the range of at least 200 wt. ppm and at least 80% of the pores have a maximum pore dimension of less than 20 m.

The invention relates to a continuous sol-gel method for producing quartz glass, comprising the following steps: (a) continuously metering a silicon alkoxide into a first reactor (R1) and carrying out an at least partial hydrolysis process by adding an aqueous mineral acid, thereby obtaining a first product flow (A); (b) continuously producing an aqueous silicic acid dispersion by continuously mixing water and silicic acid in a second reactor, thereby obtaining a second product flow (B); (c) continuously mixing the product flows (A) and (B) in a third reactor (R3) in order to produce a pre-sol, thereby obtaining a third product flow (C); (d) continuously adding an aqueous base to the product flow (C), thereby obtaining a sol; (e) continuously filling the exiting sol into moulds, thereby obtaining an aquagel; (f) drying the aquagel, thereby obtaining xerogels; and (g) sintering the xerogels, thereby obtaining quartz glass, with the proviso that at least one of the steps (a) to (e) additionally includes a degassing process of at least one feed material used in the step.

The invention relates to a continuous sol-gel method for producing quartz glass, comprising the following steps: (a) continuously metering a silicon alkoxide into a first reactor (R1) and carrying out an at least partial hydrolysis process by adding an aqueous mineral acid, thereby obtaining a first product flow (A); (b) continuously producing an aqueous silicic acid dispersion by continuously mixing water and silicic acid in a second reactor, thereby obtaining a second product flow (B); (c) continuously mixing the product flows (A) and (B) in a third reactor (R3) in order to produce a pre-sol, thereby obtaining a third product flow (C); (d) continuously adding an aqueous base to the product flow (C), thereby obtaining a sol; (e) continuously filling the exiting sol into moulds, thereby obtaining an aquagel; (f) drying the aquagel, thereby obtaining xerogels; and (g) sintering the xerogels, thereby obtaining quartz glass, with the proviso that at least one of the steps (a) to (e) additionally includes a degassing process of at least one feed material used in the step.

A method for preparing a sol-gel derived SiO.sub.2 having a very fast bioresorption rate where a sol-gel derived SiO.sub.2 is prepared from a sol comprising water, an alkoxide or inorganic silicate and a lower alcohol using a mineral acid or a base as a catalyst and the sol is aged and dried. The method uses a pH from 1.5 to 2.5, a molar ratio of water to the alkoxide or inorganic silicate of 0.5 to 2.5, a molar ratio of alcohol to the alkoxide or inorganic silicate is 0.5; and the sol is either let to gel without induced changes of composition and without forced drying of the sol, or a change of composition is induced; and within a time of 30 minutes, from the induced change forced drying of the sol is carried out or initiated.