PROCESS OF PRODUCING HIGH PURITY SILICA GLASS UTILIZING SOL-GEL METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a process to produce high purity silica glass utilizing sol-gel method whereby large size silica glass can be produced while suppressing most of cracks in the course of drying with improved formability. SOLUTION: This process comprises a first step of preparing mixed aqueous solution by mixing monomers with dimers in the deionized water, a second step of mixing fumed silica and a dispersion agent with the above mixed aqueous solution, a third step of dispersion to form a sol by agitating the above mixture, a forth step of aging in which bubbles contained in the sol are removed by aging the sol from the dispersion step at the room temperature, and a fifth step of adding a polymerization initiator and a gelation agent.