Embodiments generally relate to devices and methods for production of fibers and threads for use in electronic device manufacturing. Described here, fibers can be produced and manipulated using a dual-surfaced sizing material. The dual-surfaced sizing material has a surface which binds a fiber and a surface which binds a resin. Thus, the dual-surfaced sizing material can be left attached to the fibers without adversely affecting the resin binding in later production steps.

Compositions comprising a sol-gel derived glass, the sol-gel derived glass comprising two main components, the main components comprising a borate component and an alkaline earth metal component. Methods of making the compositions comprising combining precursor solutions containing boron ions, with alkaline earth metal ions to form a solution; gelling the solution to form a gel; drying the gel; and calcining the dried gel.

A method for producing a silica aerogel, the method including preparing a reactant by adding a basic catalyst to a first silica precursor solution, performing primary gelation in which the reactant is stirred to form a gel precursor, introducing a second silica precursor solution to a fiber, and performing a secondary gelation in which the gel precursor is introduced to the fiber to which the second silica precursor solution was introduced to form a silica aerogel.

The invention discloses porous, bioactive glass and glass ceramic morsels or pellets to be used as tissue graft substitute materials and processes for obtaining the same wherein the bioactive glass and glass ceramic morsels or pellets are made up of natural agents like phosphate, calcium, sodium and other elements which are not alien to the human or animal body. The said preparation process encompasses various steps like quenching sintering, foaming, and sol-gel casting which render the glass morsels or pellets unique bioactivity and enhanced porosity which may facilitate tissue repair and augmentation during tissue graft replacement.

The invention discloses porous, bioactive glass and glass ceramic morsels or pellets to be used as tissue graft substitute materials and processes for obtaining the same wherein the bioactive glass and glass ceramic morsels or pellets are made up of natural agents like phosphate, calcium, sodium and other elements which are not alien to the human or animal body. The said preparation process encompasses various steps like quenching sintering, foaming, and sol-gel casting which render the glass morsels or pellets unique bioactivity and enhanced porosity which may facilitate tissue repair and augmentation during tissue graft replacement.

A method for producing a silica aerogel, the method including preparing a reactant by adding a basic catalyst to a first silica precursor solution, performing primary gelation in which the reactant is stirred to form a gel precursor, introducing a second silica precursor solution to a fiber, and performing a secondary gelation in which the gel precursor is introduced to the fiber to which the second silica precursor solution was introduced to form a silica aerogel.

A high strength glass fiber is prepared by following steps: weighing raw materials according to a mass percentage of 50-60% silica sol, 24-31% aluminum sol, 8-11% magnesia, 4-5% calcium oxide, 0.1-2% titanium dioxide, 0-0.5% ferric oxide, 0.5-2% niobium pentoxide, 0.5-1.5% antimony trioxide, 0.3-1.5% bismuth nitrate, and 0.1-0.5% boric acid. Deionized water is added. The raw material undergoes mixing by ball milling, spray-drying, calcining, isostatic pressing, melting, and wire-drawing. The invention adopts silicon sol, aluminum sol and bismuth nitrate. Through ball milling and spray-drying, silicon aluminum barium plasmas is evenly coated on surface of other oxide powders. Then nano particles, of silica, alumina and bismuth oxide are obtained by calcining. Under the effect of the high specific surface energy of nano particles, and the close contact of each component, high strength glass fiber is obtained in relatively low fiber drawing temperature while the glass melting temperature and time are significantly reduced.

One aspect relates to a process for the preparation of a quartz glass body, including provision of a silicon dioxide granulate, making a glass melt from the silicon dioxide granulate and making a quartz glass body from at least part of the glass melt. The provision includes making a silicon dioxide powder with at least two particles prepared from a silicon-chlorine compound, bringing the silicon dioxide powder into contact with ammonia to obtain a treated silicon dioxide powder, and granulating the treated silicon dioxide powder to obtain a silicon dioxide granulate. The chlorine content of the silicon dioxide powder is greater than the chlorine content of the silicon dioxide granulate. One aspect relates further to a quartz glass body which is obtainable by this process. One aspect also relates to a process for the preparation of a silicon dioxide granulate.

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.

The synthetic amorphous silica powder of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a synthetic amorphous silica powder obtained by applying a spheroidizing treatment to a silica powder, and by subsequently cleaning and drying it so that the synthetic amorphous silica powder has an average particle diameter D.sub.50 of 10 to 2,000 m; wherein the synthetic amorphous silica powder has: a quotient of 1.00 to 1.35 obtained by dividing a BET specific surface area of the powder by a theoretical specific surface area calculated from the average particle diameter D.sub.50; a real density of 2.10 to 2.20 g/cm.sup.3; an intra-particulate porosity of 0 to 0.05; a circularity of 0.75 to 1.00; and an unmolten ratio of 0.00 to 0.25. This synthetic amorphous silica powder is less in amount of gas components adsorbed to surfaces of particles of the powder and in amount of gas components within the particles, so that a synthetic silica glass product manufactured by using the powder is remarkably decreased in amount of generation or degree of expansion of gas bubbles even upon usage of the product in a high temperature and reduced pressure environment.