Glass Ceramic and Method for Producing a Glass Ceramic
Taylor & Edelstein obtains patent for client Schott AG for Glass Ceramic
This method for manufacturing high-quality glass-ceramic uses an environmentally sustainable process. The procedure begins with a carefully selected batch of raw materials, which is melted by heating to temperatures exceeding T3. Refining follows at even higher temperatures above T2.5, allowing gas bubbles to escape efficiently and yielding an exceptionally homogeneous glass suitable for ceramization. Throughout both the melting and refining stages, heat is supplied exclusively via hydrogen-oxygen (H₂-O₂) combustion, producing water vapor as the primary exhaust instead of carbon dioxide. The refined glass is subsequently ceramized through controlled heat treatment to form the final glass-ceramic.
The resulting material exhibits superior optical and mechanical properties, with bubble counts typically below detectable limits for inclusions larger than 10 µm. Notably, the process emits less than 500 kg—often below 100 kg—of CO₂ per tonne of finished green glass, representing a reduction of up to 90% compared with conventional fossil-fuel-based methods. This glass-ceramic is particularly suited for precision components such as telescope mirrors, smartphone camera lens mounts, and other high-performance optical or structural elements that demand dimensional stability and near-zero thermal expansion.
