Abstract: A process of manufacturing vitreous beads is disclosed in which feedstock particles of a glass-former composition containing chemically bound water, are fed through a heating zone in which the particles are vitrified and spherulized and the resulting vitreous beads are cooled. The size of the feedstock particles and their content of substance which becomes gaseous during the passage of the particles through said heating zone are such that a least 20% by weight of the formed beads have a relative density greater than I.O. The vitrifiable oxide forming elements of said glass-former composition may be chemically interlinked, and the feedstock may be prepared as a silica-based gel or precipitate having a composition suitable for vitrification into a glass of any desired composition for example one which by virtue of its low alkali content is resistant to hydrolytic attack.

Abstract: Porous glass beads for filtation applications having a homogeneous metaloxane structure and comprising oxides of Si, Zr and optionally Ti and Al. A preferred method for making these beads comprises the steps of (a) providing a mother solution of Si and Zr alkoxides in a water soluble solvent, for instance a lower aliphatic alcohol, (b) providing a liquid dispersant phase in which solution (a) is dispersible and stirring this liquid phase sufficiently to cause (a) to be formed into droplets of substantially uniform size when added to (b), (c) adding (a) to (b) at a rate sufficient to provide said droplets and effecting the hydrolysis of the alkoxides contained therein with consecutive gelation of said droplets into corresponding hardened beads of condensed mixed Si and Zr hydroxides, and (d) separating said beads from the liquid phase and drying to achieve the desired porous mixed oxide structure for the beads.

Abstract: New type porous cordierite ceramics having a new characteristic interconnecting open cellular structure and a hollow microspherical cordierite glass powder with a shell devoid of any pores or provided with a few or an abundance of open pores which is used as a starting material for the porous cordierite ceramics. The porous cordierite ceramics are produced by subjecting a starting solution containing an alkyl silicate, an aluminum salt and an magnesium salt optionally with other compounds in an organic or aqueous organic solvent to spray thermal decomposition to prepare the hollow microspherical cordierite glass powder, and then processing the cordierite glass powder to a shaped body after or before an optional heat treatment and firing the shaped body at a temperature below the melting point of cordierite. The porous cordierite ceramics are useful as a carrier for gas chromatography or various chemical reactions.

Abstract: A solid granular propping agent is disclosed having a Krumbein number of greater than 0.8, and containing granules between 0.2 and 1.7 mm in diameter, said granules being made from an unblended clay containing from 16 to 19% of silica, less than 0.35% alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides, and being fired at a time and temperature whereby the product contains a major mullite phase and a minor alpha alumina phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing hollow glass microspheres. According to embodiments of the invention, particles of a soda-lime-silica glass containing slight amounts of sulfur compounds are suspended in a gaseous current and expanded in a burner, at a treatment temperature at least 100.degree. C. above the working temperature at which the specific type of glass constituting the treated particles is made from its raw materials, such as sand, lime, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and others, depending on the particular type of glass. The process makes it possible to increase the yield of the transformation of the particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to glasses formed from modified naturally occurring zeolites and in particular to alkaline-resistant glasses containing a high calcia loading.

Abstract: A composite, sintered, spherical pellet and a method for its manufacture are described. The pellet comprises clay and a member of the group of bauxite, alumina, or mixtures thereof; the pellet being prepared from at least one uncalcined or partially calcined ingredient. The pellet may have an alumina-to-silica ratio from about 9:1 to about 1:1. The pellet has a specific gravity of less than 3.40. Use of such pellets in propping hydraulically fractured subterranean formations is also described.

Abstract: Solid, transparent, non-vitreous, ceramic particles useful as lens elements in retroreflective pavement markings characterized by having:A. at least one metal oxide phase; andB. an average minimum dimension of more than 125 micrometers.These particles are formed by various sol gel techniques, one example of which is the chemical gelation of titania sols by first mixing with glacial acetic acid, then with ammonium acetate, followed by formation of microspheres in 2-ethylhexanol. Microspheres of this ceramic composition can have relatively large diameters (e.g. over 200-1000 micrometers) making them quite useful as retroreflective lens elements in pavement marking sheet materials.

Abstract: Hollow, fine-grained ceramic proppants are less expensive and improve fracture control when compared to conventional proppants (dense alumina, mullite, bauxite, zirconia, etc.). Hollow proppants of the present invention have been fabricated by spray drying, followed by sintering in order to obtain a dense case and a hollow core. These proppants generally have high sphericity and roundness (Krumbein sphericity and roundness greater than 0.8), have diameters on average between 2250 and 125 .mu.m, depending on proppant size required, and have strength equal to or greater than that of sand. The hollow core, the size of which can be controlled, permits better fracture control in hydraulic fracturing treatments since the proppant can be transported in lower viscosity fluids. Hollow proppants produced at the same cost/weight as conventional proppants also provide for lower costs, since less weight is required to fill the same volume. The fine-grained (preferably less than 5 .mu.

Abstract: A method of producing gas filled hollow glass beads comprises the steps of:i. manufacturing hollow glass beads having an alkali content of at least 20% calculated as weight per cent of oxide in the bead,ii. exposing the beads to an acidic treatment medium, for example HCl, HNO.sub.3, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, SO.sub.2, SO.sub.3, to reduce the alkali content of the beads to not more than 15%, andiii. causing gas to diffuse into the beads.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of producing a cellular ceramic body of high mechanical strength and exhibiting a density less than 15 lbs/ft.sup.3. A crystal-containing gel, prepared from a selected, synthetic, lithium and/or sodium, water-swelling mica, is ion exchanged with a large cation to flocculate the gel and the floc is drained and provided with a gas producing agent. The floc is then molded to desired shape and subjected to gas-producing radiation to cellulate the molded body. The cellulating agent may be retained water, one or more chemical blowing agents, a combustible substance or a vaporizable substance. The floc, in slurry form, may have a thickener added to produce a paste prior to molding. It may also have a plasticizer and/or a binder added as modifiers.

Abstract: A process is described for the formation of hollow glassy generally spherical particles ("microspheres") from natural mineral zeolites. A zeolite (or a mixture of zeolites) is rapidly heated to a temperature above its liquidus temperature to melt its surfaces, vaporize its combined water and cause it to expand to form the microspheres. The microspheres have diameters in the range of 1 to 500 millimeters and densities of about 0.1 to 2.0 g/cm.sup.3. They are useful as fillers and extenders in many materials such as plastics, and, because of their resistance to alkaline attack, are especially useful as fillers in cementitious materials.

Abstract: A process of forming glass balls by treatment of particulate vitreous material and a second material comprising carbon material and a carbonated salt. The process is carried out at a temperature, for the particular particulate vitreous material, which corresponds to a viscosity of from about 10.sup.6 to about 10.sup.3.5 poises with mixing and agitation.The apparatus includes a furnace having a tube (4) adapted to rotate about an horizontal or inclined axis, delivery means (10, 12, 14) to the tube for the materials to be treated, and heating means (8, 20) for heating the tube and the bed of material from both an external and internal location.

Abstract: Cellular ceramic bodies are produced by frothing a crystal-containing, ion-exchanged gel and setting the gel. An aqueous gel is prepared from a water-swelling mica and is blended in conjunction with a large cation donor, e.g., a potassium salt or silicate glass, and a surfactant to effect frothing of the gel by a shearing action and exchange of large cations with lithium and/or sodium ions from the mica to produce an ion-exchanged gel that sets in controllable manner.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing low density, ceramic bodies in the nature of hollow or solid beads which may be used as such or bonded into a unitary mass. The bodies are composed of ion-exchanged, synthetic mica crystals wherein large cations, such as K.sup.+, have been exchanged for lithium and/or sodium ions from the mica. The method involves forming a gel by dissolution of a synthetic mica in a polar liquid, releasing droplets of the gel into a fluid to form shaped bodies, effecting the indicated ion exchange, and drying the beads thus formed.

Abstract: A material is provided for producing a hermetic seal with a member made from one of the following: titanium, titanium alloys, platinum, chromel, Alumel, stainless steels and Inconel. The material is particularly adapted to be used with titanium, titanium alloys, Inconel and the 300 series of stainless steels since it has at different temperatures a coefficient of thermal expansion matching changes in the coefficient of thermal expansion of titanium, titanium alloys, Inconel and the 300 series of stainless steels throughout a range of temperatures to approximately 1500.degree. F. The material is partially polycrystalline and partially amorphous and is provided with a high electrical insulation and is impervious to acids and thermal and mechanical shocks. The material may have the following composition:______________________________________ Oxide Range of Percentages by Weight ______________________________________ Lead oxide (red lead) 57-68 Silicon dioxide 28-32 Soda ash (sodium carbonate) 0.4-0.

Abstract: A copper phosphate water soluble glass composition. The composition of the glass may be adjusted so as to release copper at a uniform preselected rate and to produce a desired pH in the resultant solution. In one application of the glass copper may be supplied to an animal from an implant formed from a cupric oxide/phosphorus pentoxide glass which also incorporates one or more glass modifying oxides such as alkali metal oxides and alumina, to control the glass solubility. Suitable glasses comprise 5-55 mole % cupric oxide + alkali metal oxides. 45-75 mole % phosphorus pentoxide, and not more than 15 mole % alumina, where the copper oxide concentration is not less than 5 mole %.

Abstract: Acid and alkali oxides are smelted for an extended period of time at a first elevated temperature above their melting temperatures. The smelted mixture is then quenched in water and fritted. The fritted mixture is then disposed between a pair of members which are to be hermetically sealed relative to each other. The fritted mixture is then at least partially fused in an oxygen atmosphere at a second temperature below the first temperature for a relatively short period of time. The at least partially fused mixture is then rapidly cooled in air. In this way, the mixture is provided with a partially amorphous state and a partially crystalline state. The crystals in the mixture are disposed primarily at the borders of at least a particular one of the members to be sealed.The mixture hermetically seals the two members, is resistant to acids and alkalis and inhibits the propagation of cracks.

Abstract: A composition is disclosed for spackeling or joint compound or as a stucco composition including hollow silica particles. Also, disclosed is a preferred composition comprising the following components in the indicated proportions: from about 3 to about 7 parts by weight of latex binder, from about 0.3 to about 1.5 parts by weight of water retention agent, from about 25 to about 36 parts by weight of filler, and from about 1 to about 5 parts by weight of hollow silica particles, said hollow silica particles having an average diameter of from about 25 microns to about 100 microns and a density of from about 0.10 g/cc to about 0.20 g/cc.

Abstract: Glass bubbles of increased collapse strength are prepared. The bubbles have an average particle density of 0.4 or more and are made of glass that consists essentially of SiO.sub.2 (60-90 weight-percent), alkali metal oxide (2-20 weight-percent), B.sub.2 O.sub.3 (1-30 weight-percent), sulfur (0.005 to 0.5 weight-percent), and other conventional glass-forming ingredients.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing transparent iron oxide pigment dispersions. The dispersions are prepared by milling a mixture of iron oxide pigment and a liquid vehicle in a bead mill containing glass beads as the grinding media. The pigment dispersions can be used in the preparation of paints and coatings which exhibit transparent quality and absorb ultraviolet radiation.