Provided is a method for producing a glass material by a containerless levitation technique, which enables production of a large-sized glass material. The method includes the steps of: preparing a forming member and a cover member 20, the forming member including a gas jetting portion 11 in which a plurality of gas jet holes 12 for use in levitating a block of glass raw material are formed, the cover member 20 which is capable of covering a peripheral portion of a gas jetting surface 13 of the gas jetting portion 12 and in which a controlling surface 21 controlling, near the peripheral portion of the gas jetting surface 13, a flow of gas jetted through the gas jet holes 12 is formed and an opening 25 capable of releasing the gas to outside is formed; placing the block of glass raw material on top of the gas jetting surface 13 and covering the peripheral portion of the gas jetting surface 13 with the cover member 20; and heating the block of glass raw material to melting while holding the block of glass raw material levitated by jetting the gas through the gas jet holes 12 and then cooling the melted block of glass raw material.

Proppants and methods for their preparation are described herein. The proppants can be prepared by a process comprising (a) directing a molten glass material on to an atomizing apparatus to output the molten glass material in the form of atomized droplets, and (b) projecting the droplets of the molten glass material towards a receiver, wherein a substantial portion of the droplets at least partially solidifies in flight. In some embodiments, the molten glass material can include molten slag. The atomizing apparatus can be a spinning disc, for example a rotary atomizing disc. Methods for hydraulic fracturing of a well in a subterranean formation having a fracturing stress are also described herein.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to glass compositions, glasses and articles. The articles include an aluminosilicate glass, which may include P.sub.2O.sub.5 and K.sub.2O.

Provided is a glass material that can satisfy both high Faraday effect and high light transmittance at wavelengths used. A glass material containing, in terms of % by mole of oxide, more than 40% Tb.sub.2O.sub.3 and having a percentage of Tb.sup.3+ of 55% by mole or more relative to a total content of Tb.

The development of cracks or breakage in a glass material during production of the glass material by a containerless levitation technique is reduced. A glass material is obtained by heating a levitated block 12 of glass raw material to melting by irradiation of the block 12 of glass raw material with laser light to thus obtain a molten glass and then cooling the molten glass. A first irradiation step and a second irradiation step are performed. In the first irradiation step, the levitated block 12 of glass raw material is heated to melting by irradiating the block 12 of glass raw material with the laser light. In the second irradiation step, an intensity of the laser light being applied to the molten glass is reduced and irradiation with the laser light is then stopped.

Provided is a method that enables a crystal-free glass material to be stably produced by a containerless levitation technique. A glass material 30 has a first surface 31 facing a forming surface 10a and a second surface 32 located on a side opposite to the forming surface 10a. The first surface 31 includes a central portion 31a and a peripheral portion 31b located outside of the central portion 31a. Gas is jetted through a gas jet hole at a flow velocity and a flow volume at which a glass material satisfying R.sub.2<R.sub.3<R.sub.1 is formed where R.sub.1 represents a radius of curvature of the central portion 31a, R.sub.2 represents a radius of curvature of the peripheral portion 31b, and R.sub.3 represents a radius of curvature of the second surface 32.

Methods and apparatus provide for: producing a plasma plume within a plasma containment vessel from a source of plasma gas; feeding an elongate feedstock material having a longitudinal axis into the plasma containment vessel such that at least a distal end of the feedstock material is heated within the plasma plume; and spinning the feedstock material about the longitudinal axis as the distal end of the feedstock material advances into the plasma plume, where the feedstock material is a mixture of compounds that have been mixed, formed into the elongate shape, and at least partially sintered.

A sulfide solid electrolyte for use in an all-solid-state battery has a composition represented by (100x) [yLi.sub.2S.Math.(1y)P.sub.2S.sub.5].Math.xLiBH.sub.4. In the formula, x is a value satisfying 50<x<75, and y is a value satisfying 0.72y0.78. The sulfide solid electrolyte has an ionic conductivity of 5.0 mS/cm or more at 25 C.

Provided is a method that can manufacture a glass material having excellent homogeneity by containerless levitation. With a block (12) of glass raw material held levitated above a forming surface (10a) of a forming die (10) by jetting gas through a gas jet hole (10b) opening on the forming surface (10a), the block (12) of glass raw material is heated and melted by irradiation with laser beam, thus obtaining a molten glass, and the molten glass is then cooled to obtain a glass material. Control gas is jetted to the block (12) of glass raw material along a direction different from a direction of jetting of the levitation gas for use in levitating the block (12) of glass raw material or the molten glass.

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 as 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 conditions and under Modified JIS Z 2801 for Bacteria testing conditions. In some embodiments, the glass and articles exhibit a 2 log reduction or greater in a concentration of Murine Norovirus under Modified JIS Z 2801 Test for Viruses testing conditions.