The invention relates to a process for producing SiO.sub.2 granules by freezing and re-thawing an SiO.sub.2 suspension, wherein a separation of liquid and sediment composed of agglomerated SiO.sub.2 particles occurs in the course of thawing, the liquid removed is decanted and the residual moisture in the sediment is removed by a drying step with formation of the SiO.sub.2 granules. According to the invention, an auxiliary comprising alkali metal-free bases in the form of nitrogen hydrides is added to the suspension to set the pH greater than 7.

A process for making a colored composite pavement structure comprising silylated glass aggregate particles and a polymeric binder composition is disclosed. Systems and methods are also disclosed for providing a colored composite material that cures into a pavement structure. In one embodiment, a colorant concentrate is provided by combining an inorganic colorant with a portion of a first component of a polymeric binder composition. The colorant concentrate can then be combined with the first and second components of the polymeric binder composition to provide a colored polymeric binder composition. The colored polymeric binder composition may then be applied to silylated glass aggregate particles to provide a colored composite material that cures into a pavement structure.

A method for producing sulfide glass wherein phosphorus sulfide satisfying the following formula (1) is used as a raw material:

100A/B37 (1)

wherein in the formula, A is peak areas of peaks that appear at peak positions in a range of 57.2 ppm or more and 58.3 ppm or less, and 63.0 ppm or more and 64.5 ppm or less in .sup.31PNMR spectroscopy, and B is the total of peak areas of all peaks measured in .sup.31PNMR spectroscopy.

A method for producing sulfide glass wherein phosphorus sulfide satisfying the following formula (1) is used as a raw material:

100A/B37 (1)

wherein in the formula, A is peak areas of peaks that appear at peak positions in a range of 57.2 ppm or more and 58.3 ppm or less, and 63.0 ppm or more and 64.5 ppm or less in .sup.31PNMR spectroscopy, and B is the total of peak areas of all peaks measured in .sup.31PNMR spectroscopy.

A glass ceramic precursor glass and a glass ceramic having low levels of rhodium and a method of controlling the amount of rhodium in such glasses and glass ceramics. The precursor glass and glass ceramic contain from about 1 ppm to about 10 ppm and, in certain embodiments, from about 1 ppm to about 6 ppm rhodium. The method of controlling of reducing rhodium dissolution from a rhodium-containing material such as, for example, an alloy into a glass melt comprises controlling and/or lowering the partial pressure of oxygen at the rhodium-containing vessel/glass interface by imposing a high humidity condition around the external (non-glass-contact) surface of the rhodium-containing material. The lower concentration of rhodium minimizes its coloring effect on the white color of the glass ceramic.

A glass ceramic precursor glass and a glass ceramic having low levels of rhodium and a method of controlling the amount of rhodium in such glasses and glass ceramics. The precursor glass and glass ceramic contain from about 1 ppm to about 10 ppm and, in certain embodiments, from about 1 ppm to about 6 ppm rhodium. The method of controlling of reducing rhodium dissolution from a rhodium-containing material such as, for example, an alloy into a glass melt comprises controlling and/or lowering the partial pressure of oxygen at the rhodium-containing vessel/glass interface by imposing a high humidity condition around the external (non-glass-contact) surface of the rhodium-containing material. The lower concentration of rhodium minimizes its coloring effect on the white color of the glass ceramic.

A process for making a colored composite pavement structure comprising silylated glass aggregate particles and a polymeric binder composition is disclosed. Systems and methods are also disclosed for providing a colored composite material that cures into a pavement structure. In one embodiment, a colorant concentrate is provided by combining an inorganic colorant with a portion of a first component of a polymeric binder composition. The colorant concentrate can then be combined with the first and second components of the polymeric binder composition to provide a colored polymeric binder composition. The colored polymeric binder composition may then be applied to silylated glass aggregate particles to provide a colored composite material that cures into a pavement structure.

The invention relates to a glass production method comprising charging a glass furnace with solid-state raw materials, said raw materials comprising granular glassy sodium silicate and having a moisture content of less than 1%, preferably 0%, by weight, and powdered calcium oxide.

The present invention relates to a glass ceramic powder comprising i) a glass material formed from a glass mixture containing a lithium and oxygen containing compound selected from Li.sub.2O and/or Li.sub.2CO.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, K.sub.2O, La.sub.2O.sub.3, and ii) seed particles comprising Li.sub.2SiO.sub.3 crystals and/or Li.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.5 crystals. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing of said glass ceramic powder, a method for preparing compacted and sintered bodies from the glass ceramic powder and bodies obtainable by said method.

To provide a method capable of producing granules without complicating the production process even if boric acid is not used. The method for producing glass raw material granules has a step of granulating, in the presence of water, a glass raw material composition (A) which comprises from 45 to 75 mass % of silica, from 3 to 30 mass % of aluminum hydroxide and from 0.4 to 4.6 mass % of an alkali metal hydroxide.