The present disclosure concerns expandable silica particles having a coating comprising talc powder and kaolin powder provided on the outer surface of the expandable silica particle and expandable and expanded silica particles comprising silica fume and/or ultrafine quartz silica sand beneath the surface of the particles. Methods for producing expandable and expanded silica particles are disclosed, including a method using a vibration plate and a furnace having a vibration plate for carrying out that method. The expanded silica particles have high compressive strength, substantially uniform cell size and distribution, low water absorption, and low porosity on the outer surface. They are useful as a filler in matrix materials, like concrete or epoxy, as insulation material with various binder materials, and as water filtration medium.

One aspect relates to a process for the preparation of a quartz glass body. The process includes providing silicon dioxide particles, making a glass melt out of the silicon dioxide particles in an oven and making a quartz glass body out of at least part of the glass melt. The oven has a gas outlet through which gas is removed from the oven, wherein the dew point of the gas on exiting the oven through the gas outlet is less than 0° C. One aspect further relates to a quartz glass body which is obtainable by this process. One aspect further relates to a light guide, an illuminant and a formed body, which are each obtainable by further processing of the quartz glass body.

One aspect relates to a process for the preparation of a quartz glass body including, providing a silicon dioxide granulate obtainable from a silicon dioxide powder, wherein the silicon dioxide granulate has a larger particle size than the silicon dioxide powder, making a 5 glass melt out of silicon dioxide granulate and making a quartz glass body out of at least part of the glass melt. The melting crucible has at least one inlet and at least one outlet. A least part of the glass melt is removed via the melting crucible outlet. One aspect further relates to a quartz glass body which is obtainable by this process. One aspect further relates to a light guide, an illuminant and a formed body, which are each obtainable by further processing 10 of the quartz glass body.

A glass microsphere, comprising: a main body, wherein the main body is solid while including a network of inter-connected pores produced from a phase separation process and thermal and chemical leaching operations, with porosity extending throughout a cross-section of the solid glass microsphere.

A glass, glass-ceramic, or ceramic bead is described, with an internal porous scaffold microstructure that is surrounded by an amorphous shield. The shield serves to protect the internal porous microstructure of the shield while increasing the overall strength of the porous microstructure and improve the flowability of the beads either by themselves or in devices such as biologically degradable putty that would be used in bone or soft tissue augmentation or regeneration. The open porosity present inside the bead will allow for enhanced degradability in-vivo as compared to solid particles or spheres and also promote the growth of tissues including but not limited to all types of bone, soft tissue, blood vessels, and nerves.

A glass, glass ceramic, or ceramic bead is described, with an internal porous scaffold microstructure that is surrounded be an amorphous shield. The shield serves to protect the internal porous microstructure of the shield while increasing the overall strength of the porous microstructure and improve the flowability of the beads either by themselves or in devices such as biologically degradable putty that would be used in bone or soft tissue augmentation or regeneration. The open porosity present inside the bead will allow for enhanced degradability in-vivo as compared to solid particles or spheres and also promote the growth of tissues including but not limited to all types of bone, soft tissue, blood vessels and nerves.

A color-stable, antimicrobial glass powder obtained by partial ion exchange at a temperature of 300° C. to 350° C. and an exchange time of 1 to 120 minutes, is formed of a mixture of porous glass particles having micropores and macropores made of borosilicate glass continuously foamed by extrusion having a Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 content <0.2 wt %, in which the obtained glass foam is subsequently comminuted by dry grinding to average particle sizes of 1.0 to 8.0 μm. The mixture includes color stabilizers containing 0.1% to 0.2% of ammonium ions and antimicrobial metal ions from dissolved metal salts, wherein the metal ions may be silver and/or zinc and/or copper ions. A method for the production of a color-stable, antimicrobial glass powder and applications for using the color-stable, antimicrobial glass powder are also provided.

A glass filler powder includes a bubble therein, a volume fraction of the bubble being from 0.2% to 2%.

The invention discloses high-strength glass-ceramic-based lightweight aggregates and the preparation method thereof. The mass ratio of raw material components is 50-70 parts of engineering muck, 20-40 parts of glass, 3-7 parts of calcium carbonate, 3-7 parts of magnesium oxide, and 2-10 parts of a nucleating agent; the nucleating agent is at least one of calcium fluoride, titanium dioxide, and chromium oxide. After crushing, mixing, and granulating, spherical particles with a particle size of 10-12 mm are formed; and then the product can be obtained after drying, sintering, and cooling. The obtained lightweight aggregate from the invention has a diopside matrix which provides high strength and a low water absorption rate at low densities. Moreover, waste glass and engineering muck could be utilized with high value.

Systems and methods are disclosed for vaporization suppression. Vaporization suppression may include, for example, evaporation control and/or odor control. A layer of foam glass aggregates may be placed on a body of water. Bodies of water may include natural and man-made aqueous bodies (such as, for example, ponds, lakes, lagoons, reservoirs, tanks, pools, runoff areas, etc.). Water may include clean water, natural water, rainwater, runoff, industrial output, manure slurries, leachates, treatment effuse, etc.). When placed, the foam glass aggregates in contact with the water may have a first moisture content. At equilibrium, the foam glass aggregates in contact with the water may have a second moisture content. The second moisture content may be greater than the first moisture content. The foam glass aggregates in contact with the water may have a bulk density at the second moisture content that is sufficient to maintain buoyancy at the surface of the body of water.