Glass Melting and Sealing
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The Manufacturing Science & Technology Center performs process development of glass and glass-ceramic-to-metal seals. Small batches of specialty glass can be melted from reagent grade oxide powders. Glass and glass-ceramic-to-metal seals are made in microprocessor controlled inert atmospheres and are checked for hermeticity after sealing.
Sandia's extensive properties database of low melting solder glasses is used to aid in material and processing decisions when making glass-to-glass, ceramic-to-ceramic, and glass-to-ceramic seals. These seals are typically done in air at much lower temperatures than glass and glass-to-ceramic seals.
Capabilities:
- Interface with designers and vendors to assure that the most appropriate materials are selected to meet specifications
- Produce small volume melts of specialized glass and glvarious technical glass-to-metal sealing projectsass-ceramic compositions
- Establish key processing time-temperature schedules for glass annealing, sealing, and crystallization
- Measure thermal-physical properties of glasses
- Chemically strengthen glass to customer specifications
- Assess component structural design by performing finite element stress analysis
- Fabricate prototype electronic and specialty components that incorporate glass or glass-ceramic-to-metal seals
Resources:
- Precision measurements of thermal-physical properties of glasses
- Computer-aided seal design
- Microprocessor-controlled sealing furnaces with controlled atmospheres for glass and glass-ceramic sealing
- Precision leak checking to 10x10-9 atm. cc/sec
Accomplishments:
- Invented a belt-processable, high expansion, corrosion-resistant glass ceramic
Patents
- Patent No. 4,414,282. Glass Ceramic Seals to Inconel
- Patent No. 5,015,530. High Expansion, Lithium Corrosion Resistant Sealing Glasses
- Patent No. 5,021,307. High Expansion, Lithium Corrosion Resistant Sealing Glasses
- Patent No. 5,104,738. Sealing Glasses for Titanium and Titanium Alloys
- Patent No. 5,262,364. High Thermal Expansion, Sealing Glasses
- Patent No. 5,820,989. Method of Processing "BPS" Glass Ceramic and Seals Made Therewith
Contacts:
Ron Stone
Scott Reed
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