How is fused silica glass made

Heraeus uses only very highly refined quartz sand coupled with rigorous quality control to make its products.

Historically, the first method of producing fused quartz was by small-scale fusion of quartz crystals in a flame. Heraeus has been producing quartz glass on an industrial scale with this process ever since. Today flame fused quartz is manufactured on a large scale by a continuous process in which highly refined quartz sand is fed through a high temperature flame and deposited on the surface of a melt contained in a tank lined with refractory material.

The viscous melt is withdrawn slowly through a die in the bottom of this tank, and it solidifies in a shape determined by the die. In this way it is possible to produce an ingot of transparent fused quartz of the required cross-section round, rectangular or hollow , which is cut off at intervals, and removed for further processing.

In this process, the silicon containing precursors e. Silicon Tetra Chloride; STC are burned in the presence of oxygen to form nano-particles of silicon dioxide also called soot. Because the precursors are specifically produced and refined, they are available in exceptionally high purity and the resulting fused silica has a very low metallic impurity content.

As the production process involves vapors of chemicals silicon containing precursors , it is called chemical vapor deposition CVD. There are two sets of process families, one where the deposited nano-particles are directly melted to a condensed fused silica layer, and one, where the soot is accumulated and in a secondary process step condensed to transparent fused silica this process is called vitrification.

Chemical vapor deposition CVD For the production of optical fiber core rods, deposition of fused silica with a defined refractive index is done inside of fused silica tubes. The chemicals are brought into the tube by a carrier gas. The reaction to form soot is triggered by a heat source. Silica The first important thing to know about quartz and fused silica is that they both primarily consist of the same ingredient: silica , also known as silicon dioxide. Crystalline and Amorphous Solids To fully understand the differences between different silica-based materials, we first need to review the fundamental differences between crystalline solids and amorphous solids.

Quartz As mentioned previously, quartz is the main form in which silica occurs in nature. Silica Glass and Quartz Glass These terms are typically used in a more generic sense, and can usually be considered interchangeable. Applications of Fused Silica While fused silica is chemically similar to quartz, its amorphous structure gives it a number of distinct and highly desirable thermal, mechanical and electrical properties.

Custom Glass Solutions from Mo-Sci Mo-Sci develops and manufactures a range of high-performance glasses for technical applications. Vert, T. Refractory Material Selection for Steelmaking.

Khalaf, A. Wang, S. Deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission gratings with high efficiency at a wavelength of nm. Stay updated! Sign Up! Its cross-linked three-dimensional structure results in exceptional thermal resistance and near-zero thermal expansion. Quartz is a naturally occurring crystalline mineral comprised of oxygen and silicon. Some of the key benefits of using this glass material include:. Both fused silica and quartz glass are ideal for use in many different industrial applications, including the following:.

At Swift Glass , we have provided quality custom glass fabrication for nearly years. We stock a wide range of fused silica and quartz glasses from a variety of manufacturers, each of which offers unique advantages. Distinctive features they share include:. Having a wide range of choices makes it easy to find the perfect glass for your next project, but it also requires careful consideration and attention to subtle qualities. We stock a range of quartz and fused silica glasses from different manufacturers, each with its own particular strengths.

Tags: fused quartz , fused silica , fused silica properties , quartz , quartz properties. Is this something your company offers? Heather, Please contact Helen in our customer service department at 1. She will gladly help you.