Glass manufacturing – Particulate bead or ball making apparatus
Patent
1991-07-31
1993-04-13
Woodard, Joye L.
Glass manufacturing
Particulate bead or ball making apparatus
65168, 65900, C03B 37005
Patent
active
052019292
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a process for producing flakes of glass and, more particularly, to a process for producing flakes of glass easily and efficiently, using a solution containing an organic metal compound as the starting material.
2. Background Art
Presently, flakes of glass are used as plastic fillers, corrosion resistant linings, and paints. Such flakes of glass consist mostly of soda lime silicate glass and are about 4 microns in thickness. They are produced by enlarging molten glass like a balloon, quickly cooling it, and pulverizing it. As the industry progresses, thinner flakes of glass withstanding higher temperatures have been required. Any method of industrially producing flakes of glass satisfying these requirements have not yet been put into practical use.
Naturally occurring mica is known as industrially used flakes. This has some problems: (1) it is expensive; (2) it is colored due to impurities; and (3) it lacks durability. In spite of these problems, it has found various applications, since no substitute exists.
A technique for producing sheet glass from a solution containing an organic metal compound by the sol-gel process is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 34219/1976. In this known process, an organic metal compound is hydrolyzed and poly-condensed. The resultant solution is made to float on another liquid such as water, to prepare sheet glass. In this described process, thin pieces of glass having thicknesses less than 1 .mu.m are obtained. It can be estimated that flakes of glass can be produced by pulverizing these pieces of glass. However, this technique has the following disadvantages: (1) it is difficult to recover the glass pieces floating on water; and (2) a uniform film thickness cannot be easily obtained. Hence, it is substantially difficult to industrially produce flakes of glass by this technique.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In view of the foregoing prior art technique, it is an object of the invention to provide a process and an apparatus for easily and efficiently producing thin flakes of glass which have been heretofore impossible to manufacture.
The novel process for producing flakes of glass uses a solution containing an organic metal compound as the starting material. This starting material is applied to a substrate, preferably a substrate whose surface is smooth. The starting material is then dried and peeled from the substrate. Subsequently, it is sintered.
In this process, the thickness of the solution containing the organic metal compound on the substrate can be controlled by adjusting the viscosity of the solution and the concentration of the organic metal compound in the solution. Thus, flakes of glass which have been heretofore impossible to manufacture can be easily made.
In order to facilitate peeling the applied and dried film from the substrate and to easily and efficiently produce flakes of glass showing stable physical properties, the solution containing the organic metal compound is caused to react with water. Then, the resultant solution is applied to the substrate. Similarly, it is desired to dry, peel off, and sinter the film on the substrate. Flakes of glass which can be readily peeled off the substrate can be obtained by this process.
An apparatus for producing flakes of glass in accordance with the invention comprises: means for applying a solution containing an organic metal compound to a substrate taking the form of a loop; means for drying the film created by the solution on the substrate; and means for collecting the flakes obtained by peeling the dried film from the substrate. The substrate taking the form of a loop forms a circulatory continuous conveyance path which passes through the applying means, the drying means, and the collecting means in succession.
This apparatus permits flakes of glass showing stable physical properties to be produced in large quantities continuously and industrially.
The flakes of glass referred to herein mean thin pieces of glass having vertical and
REFERENCES:
patent: 4042361 (1977-08-01), Bihuniak
patent: 4757036 (1988-07-01), Kaar
patent: 4767433 (1988-08-01), Lura
patent: 4954462 (1990-09-01), Wood
Sakka, Sumio, Gel Method for Making Glass, 1982, pp. 129-165, Treatise on Materials Science and Tech. vol. 22.
Kingery, Introduction to Ceramics, 1976, pp. 648-649.
Doushita Kazuhiro
Mizuno Toshiaki
Yamagishi Takashi
Yokoi Koji
Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd.
Woodard Joye L.
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