A pH-switchable carrier composition includes a plurality of bioactive glass particles, wherein each of the bioactive glass particle is optionally at least a partially coated with a surface modifier; wherein the bioactive glass particles, with or without, the surface modifier can bind to a nucleic acid compound upon contact at pH in the range of about 7 to about 11, and exhibit controlled release of the nucleic acid compound at pH in the range of about 5 to 6.

A pH-switchable carrier composition includes a plurality of bioactive glass particles, wherein each of the bioactive glass particle is optionally at least a partially coated with a surface modifier; wherein the bioactive glass particles, with or without, the surface modifier can bind to a nucleic acid compound upon contact at pH in the range of about 7 to about 11, and exhibit controlled release of the nucleic acid compound at pH in the range of about 5 to 6.

Lithium silicate-diopside glass ceramics are described which are characterized by a controllable translucence and can be satisfactorily processed mechanically and therefore can be used in particular as restoration material in dentistry.

A method of modifying glass frit involves treating the frit with a grain-boundary-healing compound. The method increases transmission and clarity, and reduces haze of a fired enamel coating made from such modified glass frit as compared to a coating not made from such modified glass frit. The grain-boundary-healing compound influences the chemistry at the grain boundaries to prevent haze. The compound burns out to yield a fluxing material that dissolves alkaline carbonates or bicarbonates on the surface of the glass frit. The dissolved species are incorporated into the enamel coating, thereby promoting the fusion of the glass frit and reducing the amount of haze in the enamel coating. The additives also function to prevent the formation of seed crystals on the surface of the glass frit that may inhibit the fusion of the glass frit.

A method of modifying glass frit involves treating the frit with a grain-boundary-healing compound. The method increases transmission and clarity, and reduces haze of a fired enamel coating made from such modified glass frit as compared to a coating not made from such modified glass frit. The grain-boundary-healing compound influences the chemistry at the grain boundaries to prevent haze. The compound burns out to yield a fluxing material that dissolves alkaline carbonates or bicarbonates on the surface of the glass frit. The dissolved species are incorporated into the enamel coating, thereby promoting the fusion of the glass frit and reducing the amount of haze in the enamel coating. The additives also function to prevent the formation of seed crystals on the surface of the glass frit that may inhibit the fusion of the glass frit.

The present invention relates to a particle mixture comprising particles of glass frit and particles of a crystalline oxide material, wherein the glass frit comprises silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2), zinc oxide (ZnO) and sulfur (S) and wherein the D90 particle size of the particle mixture is less than 5 microns. The particle mixture may be used to apply an enamel to a substrate. The present invention further relates to the use of the particle mixture to form an enamel on a substrate, to a glass sheet and to an automotive window pane.

The present invention relates to a particle mixture comprising particles of glass frit and particles of a crystalline oxide material, wherein the glass frit comprises silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2), zinc oxide (ZnO) and sulfur (S) and wherein the D90 particle size of the particle mixture is less than 5 microns. The particle mixture may be used to apply an enamel to a substrate. The present invention further relates to the use of the particle mixture to form an enamel on a substrate, to a glass sheet and to an automotive window pane.

Disclosed herein are methods for forming low melting point glass fibers comprising providing a glass feedstock comprising a low melting point glass and melt-spinning the glass feedstock to produce glass fibers, wherein the glass transition temperature of the glass fibers is less than or equal to about 120% of the glass transition temperature of the glass feedstock. The disclosure also relates to method for forming low melting point glass frit further comprising jet-milling the glass fibers. Low melting point glass frit and fibers produced by the methods described above are also disclosed herein.

Disclosed herein are methods for forming low melting point glass fibers comprising providing a glass feedstock comprising a low melting point glass and melt-spinning the glass feedstock to produce glass fibers, wherein the glass transition temperature of the glass fibers is less than or equal to about 120% of the glass transition temperature of the glass feedstock. The disclosure also relates to method for forming low melting point glass frit further comprising jet-milling the glass fibers. Low melting point glass frit and fibers produced by the methods described above are also disclosed herein.

Articles may be protected against halide plasma, by applying a rare earth-containing glaze to the surface of the article. The glaze may be a coating comprising; 20 to 90 mol % SiO.sub.2, 0 to 60 mol % Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 10 to 80 mol % rare earth oxides and/or rare earth fluorides (REX), wherein SiO.sub.2+Al.sub.2O.sub.3+REX≥60 mol %.