GLASS PRECURSOR GEL

摘要

A glass precursor gel and a method of making a glass product from the glass precursor gel are disclosed. The glass precursor gel includes a bulk amorphous oxide-based matrix that is homogeneously chemically mixed and includes 30 mol% to 90 wt.% silica and at least one of the following: (A) 0.1 mol% to 25 mol% of one or more alkali oxides in sum total, (B) 0.1 mol% to 25 mol% of one or more alkaline earth oxides in sum total, (C) 1 mol% to 20 mol% boric oxide, (D) 5 mol% to 80 mol% lead oxide, or (E) 0.1 mol% to 10 mol% aluminum oxide. A method of making a glass product from the glass precursor gel involves obtaining the glass precursor gel, melting the glass precursor gel into molten glass, and forming the molten glass into a glass product.