Abstract
The glass industry is widely diverse regarding its applications, processes, and manufacturing techniques. The quality of raw materials and parameters in the production process is essential to optimize resources and reduce defects to a minimum. In this manner, getting data on the microstructural characterization of glass is decisive when needed to improve these considerations promptly to avoid waste during glass manufacturing. This work presents a method to replicate in the laboratory under controlled conditions: the float glass melting process of the flat glass industry. The aim is to establish a specific procedure, including conditions and times in an air-gas furnace having a slightly oxidizing melting-controlled atmosphere. Thus, samples of silicate glass with iron oxide (Fe2O3) were formulated using analytical grade ingredients and then were subjected to a characterization flow to discard impurities or defects. Microanalytical techniques including polariscope, dilatometry, XRF, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and SEM/EDX were used to determine residual stresses, thermal expansion, chemical composition, oxidation state, and microstructure. The residual stress was significantly reduced by controlling critical parameters during the formulation and the glass fusion step. The procedure was developed to be replicable using different parameter recipes and formulations.
Keywords: Microstructural characterization, controlled conditions, silicate glass, float glass, residual stress.