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Title: Method for introduction of gases into microspheres

Abstract

A method for producing small hollow glass spheres filled with a gas by introduction of the gas during formation of the hollow glass spheres. Hollow glass microspheres having a diameter up to about 500.mu. with both thin walls (0.5 to 4.mu.) and thick walls (5 to 20.mu.) that contain various fill gases, such as Ar, Kr, Xe, Br, DT, H.sub.2, D.sub.2, He, N.sub.2, Ne, CO.sub.2, etc. in the interior thereof, can be produced by the diffusion of the fill gas or gases into the microsphere during the formation thereof from a liquid droplet of glass-forming solution. This is accomplished by filling at least a portion of the multiple-zone drop-furnace used in producing hollow microspheres with the gas or gases of interest, and then taking advantage of the high rate of gaseous diffusion of the fill gas through the wall of the gel membrane before it transforms into a glass microsphere as it is processed in the multiple-zone furnace. Almost any gas can be introduced into the inner cavity of a glass microsphere by this method during the formation of the microsphere provided that the gas is diffused into the gel membrane or microsphere prior to its transformation into glass. Themore » process of this invention provides a significant savings of time and related expense of filling glass microspheres with various gases. For example, the time for filling a glass microballoon with 1 atmosphere of DT is reduced from about two hours to a few seconds.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Livermore, CA
  2. San Ramon, CA
  3. Danville, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
863833
Patent Number(s):
4257798
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C03 - GLASS C03B - MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
C - CHEMISTRY C03 - GLASS C03C - CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES, OR VITREOUS ENAMELS
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; introduction; gases; microspheres; producing; hollow; glass; spheres; filled; gas; formation; diameter; 500; walls; thick; 20; contain; various; fill; kr; xe; br; dt; etc; interior; produced; diffusion; microsphere; liquid; droplet; glass-forming; solution; accomplished; filling; portion; multiple-zone; drop-furnace; taking; advantage; rate; gaseous; wall; membrane; transforms; processed; furnace; introduced; inner; cavity; provided; diffused; prior; transformation; process; provides; significant; savings; time; related; expense; example; microballoon; atmosphere; reduced; hours; various gases; fill gas; hollow microspheres; hollow glass; gaseous diffusion; glass microspheres; taking advantage; glass spheres; liquid droplet; glass microsphere; thick wall; zone furnace; liquid drop; /65/264/501/

Citation Formats

Hendricks, Charles D, Koo, Jackson C, and Rosencwaig, Allan. Method for introduction of gases into microspheres. United States: N. p., 1981. Web.
Hendricks, Charles D, Koo, Jackson C, & Rosencwaig, Allan. Method for introduction of gases into microspheres. United States.
Hendricks, Charles D, Koo, Jackson C, and Rosencwaig, Allan. Thu . "Method for introduction of gases into microspheres". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863833.
@article{osti_863833,
title = {Method for introduction of gases into microspheres},
author = {Hendricks, Charles D and Koo, Jackson C and Rosencwaig, Allan},
abstractNote = {A method for producing small hollow glass spheres filled with a gas by introduction of the gas during formation of the hollow glass spheres. Hollow glass microspheres having a diameter up to about 500.mu. with both thin walls (0.5 to 4.mu.) and thick walls (5 to 20.mu.) that contain various fill gases, such as Ar, Kr, Xe, Br, DT, H.sub.2, D.sub.2, He, N.sub.2, Ne, CO.sub.2, etc. in the interior thereof, can be produced by the diffusion of the fill gas or gases into the microsphere during the formation thereof from a liquid droplet of glass-forming solution. This is accomplished by filling at least a portion of the multiple-zone drop-furnace used in producing hollow microspheres with the gas or gases of interest, and then taking advantage of the high rate of gaseous diffusion of the fill gas through the wall of the gel membrane before it transforms into a glass microsphere as it is processed in the multiple-zone furnace. Almost any gas can be introduced into the inner cavity of a glass microsphere by this method during the formation of the microsphere provided that the gas is diffused into the gel membrane or microsphere prior to its transformation into glass. The process of this invention provides a significant savings of time and related expense of filling glass microspheres with various gases. For example, the time for filling a glass microballoon with 1 atmosphere of DT is reduced from about two hours to a few seconds.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1981},
month = {1}
}