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US4547233A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Gas-filled glass beads and method of making

Assignee: AGC Glass Europe SA
•
Filing: 1984-05-09
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Granted: 1985-10-15
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Expires: 2004-05-09
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Abstract

Abstract A method of producing gas filled hollow glass beads comprises the steps of: i. manufacturing hollow glass beads having an alkali content of at least 20% calculated as weight per cent of oxide in the bead, ii. exposing the beads to an acidic treatment medium, for example HCl, HNO 3 , H 2 SO 4 , SO 2 , SO 3 , to reduce the alkali content of the beads to not more than 15%, and iii. causing gas to diffuse into the beads.

Inventors

  • 👤 Marcel Delzant

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 21:51
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03C; C03C11/00; C03C11/002; C03B; C03B19/00; C03B19/10; C03B19/107; C03C15/00; C06; C06B; C06B23/00; C06B23/002; C06B23/003

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 80 words
A method of producing gas-filled hollow glass beads comprising the steps of manufacturing hollow glass beads having an alkali content of at least 20% calculated as weight % of oxide in the bead, contacting the beads with an acidic treatment medium to reduce the alkali content of the beads to not more than 15%, and causing nonhydrogen gas to diffuse into the beads after manufacture thereof by exposing said beads to said gas at a pressure greater than one atmosphere.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 80 words
A method of producing gas-filled hollow glass beads comprising the steps of manufacturing hollow glass beads having an alkali content of at least 20% calculated as weight % of oxide in the bead, contacting the beads with an acidic treatment medium to reduce the alkali content of the beads to not more than 15%, and causing nonhydrogen gas to diffuse into the beads after manufacture thereof by exposing said beads to said gas at a pressure greater than one atmosphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the gas caused to diffuse into the beads is at least one of nitrogen, krypton, argon and helium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of causing gas to diffuse comprises placing the beads in an environment at a temperature in the range 200° to 550° C. and a pressure of at least 5 bar.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said diffusion takes place substantially in the absence of H 2 O.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said acidic treatment medium is selected from among HCl, HNO 3 , H 2 SO 4 , SO 2 and SO 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein at the commencement of reduction of bead alkali during said step of contacting, the acidic treatment medium is an aqueous solution having a pH of at least 2.5.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising treating the beads with a polishing solution containing an organic acid selected from among beta-hydroxy acids, oxalic acid and ethylene diamine tetracetic acid and/or a salt of a said organic acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein the organic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid which is also an alpha-hydroxy acid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein at the beginning of said treating step, said solution has a pH of at least 5 and preferably in the range 7 to 10 inclusive.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said steps of contacting and treating take place during overlapping time periods.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising, after said contacting step, bringing said beads in contact with an organo-silane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 10 words
Glass beads produced by the method according to claim 1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 11 words
An emulsion-type explosive composition incorporating glass beads according to claim 12.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of causing gas to diffuse is conducted so that said beads are charged with said gas to pressure of at least about one bar.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 58 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the gas caused to diffuse into the beads is at least one of nitrogen, krypton, argon and helium, and wherein said step of causing gas to diffuse comprises placing the beads in an environment at a temperature in the range 200° to 550° and a pressure of at least 5 bar.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2500801A Cited
US3116991A Cited
US4097258A Cited
US4063916A Cited
FR2370015A1 Cited
GB1593163A Cited
SU812780A1 Cited
FR2463110A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-10-14 1989-04-15 1989-10-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-10-14 1993-04-15 1993-10-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-10-14 1997-04-15 1997-10-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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