EXTRUDING REDUCED VISCOSITY SILICA INTO GREEN BODY, PURIFICATION AND SINTERING

摘要

A method for manufacturing a glass body is described. A mechanical force is applied to a gel formed from a thixotropic suspension of SiO2 particles to reduce the viscosity of the gel. The gel is forced while it is in this reduced viscosity state through a die to form an extruded green body. The green body is then purified and sintered to form a glass body. The apparatus preferably includes an extruding press provided with a ram in the form of a sonotrode of a sonic or ultrasonic generator with a pressure p in the range from 1 to 7.105 Pa and with an oscillation amplitude of the sonotrode in the range from 0 to 60 .mu.m.