EP2619611A2

EP2619611A2 - Process and means for the treatment of glass objects

Info

Publication number: EP2619611A2
Application number: EP11784406.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Leopold Mader; Vesselinka Petrova-Koch; Andreas Mader; Stefan Schachner; Stephen MCDONALD CARNEY
Original assignee: Inova Lisec Technologiezentrum GmbH
Current assignee: Lisec Austria GmbH
Priority date: 2010-09-23
Filing date: 2011-09-22
Publication date: 2013-07-31
Also published as: US20130224386A1; AT509594B1; WO2012037589A2; WO2012037589A3; AT509594A4

Abstract

Plate glass, in particular soda-lime plate glass, is treated with potassium water glass in order to alter the optical properties of soda-lime plate glass, in particular its reflection behaviour. The soda-lime plate glass is thermally treated after application of potassium water glass in order to achieve additional hardening of the soda-lime plate glass. The treated plate glass can be used, in particular, for cover plates of photovoltaic modules.

Description

Method and means for treating glass articles

The invention relates to a method and a means for treating, in particular for refining glass objects, in particular flat glass, in order to change their properties, in particular their optical properties, such as the reflection properties of the objects in the desired manner and at the same time to improve their mechanical strength.

In particular, the process according to the invention involves treating (refining) glass in which the treatment agent (initially) is present in liquid form, in particular as an aqueous environment-friendly solution.

An example of this is the treatment of glassware, e.g. Flat glass, with water glass, to change the properties of the glass. For example, in order to reduce the reflection and / or to change the refractive index upon the passage of light from the flat glass into a light-transmitting article adjacent thereto and / or to improve the corrosion resistance and / or to increase the mechanical strength.

US 2,428,357 A is concerned with a method for reducing the reflection of a transparent body. In this case, in order to reduce the reflection, for example, of glass, a coating is applied to the glass, which is applied as a uniform film of a colloidal dispersion containing silicic acid or silicates. The coating should then be dried. Preferred dispersions are those of sodium and potassium silicates, especially meta-silicates (water glass).

DE 100 51 724 A1 (= EP 1 328 483 B1 = WO 02/032823 A) relates to thermally toughened, ie hardened, glass having an abrasion-resistant, porous SiO ₂ -antireflex coating. The abrasion-resistant, porous and sinter-stable SiO ₂ layer is to be applied to soda-lime glass using an aqueous coating solution having a pH of from 3 to 12 and containing from 0.5 to 5.0% by weight of ortho-silica particles [SiO _x ( OH) _y ] _n can be obtained by coating the soda-lime glass with an aqueous solution and then drying the coating. Finally, the glass should be cured by tempering and quenching.

The invention has for its object to provide a method of the type mentioned, which can be carried out by simple means and which allows the desired effect of treatment, namely refining, in the sense of antireflection and curing of glass objects, readily and in one Step to reach. Furthermore, the should Invention provide a means by which the inventive method can be performed.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a method having the features of claim 1.

Preferred and advantageous embodiments of the treatment method according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

In the method according to the invention, a, for example in a carrier gas (eg air or nitrogen) contained, finely divided (sprayed) and / or dissolved substance, in particular an aqueous solution of potassium waterglass on an article of glass, such as flat glass, preferably from Lime-soda-glass, depressed.

The treatment according to the invention of glass during glass hardening not only achieves that the optical properties are changed, e.g. the reflectivity of the glass article is reduced, but also that the surface of the glass article is refined and hardened, which means increased abrasion resistance. In addition, there is improved hardening of silicone, e.g. thermoplastically processable silicone elastomer, on the treated glass surface.

It is advantageous in the method according to the invention that an absolutely uniform application of the agent can be achieved independently of the outer shape of the article.

A further advantage of the method according to the invention is that the amount of applied treatment agent is determined quite simply by selecting the duration of the treatment.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the dewpoint cooled article is exposed to the carrier gas containing the treating agent or in finely divided form (especially an aqueous solution of potassium waterglass).

In addition, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the amount of treating agent applied may be determined by the temperature difference between the carrier gas in which the material is dissolved or finely divided and the article to be treated.

An application example of the method according to the invention is the treatment of glass, in particular flat glass (preferably soda-lime glass) with potassium water glass, which, as mentioned above, the properties of glass, in particular the reflection, abrasion resistance and hardness changed.

As a water glass solidified, glassy, so amorphous, water-soluble sodium and potassium silicates or their aqueous solutions are called from a melt.

Water glass can be prepared by reacting sodium or potassium carbonate with quartz to form sodium or potassium metasilicate to give C0 ₂ according to the following reaction equation.

M ₂ C0 ₃ + n Si0 ₂ -> M ₂ 0 · n Si0 ₂ + C0 ₂

The cooled glass is ground to a powder, it is dissolved in water at high temperatures (eg 150 ° C at 5 bar pressure) liquid water glass (liquid glass) as a clear, colloidal alkaline solution or as an alkaline gel (gelatinous to solid mass) won.

In the context of the invention can be provided that the treated with potassium water glass object is still heated glass to achieve that the potassium water glass reacts with the underlying glass body, in particular fuses and achieves an enamel-like surface layer ("glass skin") This can be achieved by treatment at an elevated temperature, for example a temperature of about 600 ° C to 650 ° C.

This heating may be carried out by means common in the glass industry, such as those used to harden glass. Such systems are known for example from WO 97/34844 A or AT 410 087 B. In the invention, the treatment with potassium water glass is combined with (non-contact) hardening of glass and can be carried out in particular in one step.

Subsequent heating of the treated glass article to allow the potassium waterglass applied to the glass article to react with the glass body (glass or glass sheet) underneath and to join permanently by forming on the glass body an enamel-like outer layer extending into the glass body ( "Glass skin") can be combined with the hardening of the glass body, in particular the glass sheet or glass sheet.

The environment in which the treatment substance (eg waterglass) in a carrier gas, for example air or nitrogen, (preferably: nitrogen) in finely divided or dissolved form, can be achieved, for example, be achieved in that the treatment is sprayed into a room in which it then in finely divided form, as a kind of fog, is present. If the temperature in the environment is increased, it can also be achieved that the treatment substance at least partially passes into the gas phase, ie is dissolved in the carrier gas (for example air or nitrogen). For example, the environment is kept at room temperature.

Advantageously, the process of the invention, in particular for the treatment of flat glass panels with potassium water glass in a continuous process, so be carried out substantially continuously. In continuous processing of glass sheets with water glass according to the method of the invention, a flow rate of 5 to 20 m / min, in particular 9 to 15 m / min can be achieved, so that there is a powerful coating process.

Within the scope of the invention, it is also contemplated to promote the precipitation of the treatment agent by the medium in addition to the treatment substance added active ingredients. For example, in the case of water glass as a treatment substance, an organic substance may be added to the environment. This does not interfere with the coating itself, since the organic substance is burned or decomposed in the subsequent thermal treatment to fuse the treatment agent to the underlying glass body (heating from 600 ° C to 650 ° C).

In the treatment according to the invention of flat glass, in particular for producing an anti-reflection surface and for hardening glass, the following procedure can be used in the invention:

The glass - preferably flat glass of soda-lime glass - is sprayed, for example in a chamber - with a water glass spray. In particular, potassium water glass is used. Before spraying, glass should be preheated to 30 ° to prevent water from the air from condensing on the glass.

For pretreatment, the glass should be washed hot and rinsed with regenerated water.

The spray is a solution of potassium water glass in water, wherein the spraying is optionally carried out in a chamber. Preferably, the glass is moved through the spray exiting nozzles at a speed of 9-15 m / min.

The spray settles on the glass and creates there a closed film, consisting of the solution of potassium water glass in water. The on the glass precipitated solution forms a uniform covering on the glass surface on one or optionally on both sides.

As the next step, the glass surface is allowed to dry or subjected to a drying step.

In a subsequent washing process, potassium not bound to glass is washed out again (as soon as possible).

Thereafter, the glass, as is conventional for thermal curing, is warmed and quenched so that the previously bound amount of the applied agent is sintered and a continuous transition from the glass core to the outer nano-porous glass surface (potassium-containing) in the form of a kind of skin "arises.

Fields of application of the anti-reflection glasses with hardening thus produced are, for example, photovoltaic modules and multiple insulating glass panes.

By the treatment of glass with potassium water glass in the course of the treatment according to the invention, not only its antireflective properties are changed, namely in the sense of increasing the antireflection properties (reduction of reflection) achieved, but it is also caused by biasing Of potassium ions (please note, there is no ion exchange) in the porous surface of the glass, a tension is generated, which has an increased scratch resistance.

The inventive method for reducing the reflection of soda-lime glass, especially those with a low iron content, uses in one embodiment a highly diluted, aqueous solution of potassium waterglass with a low concentration of potassium hydroxide (Si0 ₂ : KOH about 3.5: 1 or higher). The potassium-waterglass solution can be sprayed onto the sodium-lime glass (low iron content) while thermally curing thin glass plates (thickness: 2 mm or less) (non-contact). Thus, the reflection of the glass surface can be reduced by 1, 5 to 2% on each side together with a hardening of the glass. This (hybrid) technology is energy efficient because the antireflection treatment can be carried out simultaneously with thermal curing. The number of post-processing steps of flat glass is thus reduced.

The thickness of the water glass residues on the glass surface should be below 200 nm to avoid scattering points for visible light.

A contactless hardening process makes it possible to avoid waviness of the flat glass (especially of glass thinner than 2 mm). The (thin) antireflex-treated and thermally hardened, ie refined, glass can be used in the solar industry (photovoltaic modules, solar thermal systems) and in other industries, eg for LED systems.

Advantageously, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the glass surface is conditioned prior to curing and prior to spraying the potassium-waterglass mixture so that the surface of the glass (the glass need not be fresh) becomes hydrophilic. This is of advantage for the homogeneity of the water-glass coating on the glass surface. After applying the layer, the drying takes place. Immediately after complete surface drying, potassium residues may be washed out with water at room temperature (or low concentration acetic acid) to prevent the surface from blooming in the reaction of potassium with carbon dioxide and the air.

The inventive method is extremely simple and can be integrated into existing processes without special measures. The erfindungemäße method results in a very resistant glass surface, since potassium atoms are incorporated into the nano-porous silica residues of the glass body.

In the method according to the invention for treating glass (with the aim of changing its antireflection properties and hardening it), the following method steps can be carried out, for example:

1. Pre-cleaning / activation

The surface of glass is (again) made fresh to remove oils, fats and solid particles, e.g. Cutting oil on the edge of the disc, to remove. Advantageous for a successful treatment with the potassium-waterglass solution is that the solution wets the glass, so a continuous film and no drops / streaks are formed, that is evenly applied to the surface to be treated of the glass of potassium waterglass solution.

It is desirable that the time between pre-cleaning / activation and actual coating be as short as possible to allow the surface of the glass, e.g. Dust, not contaminated again.

2. Spray with treatment

For example, soda-lime flat glass is sprayed with an aqueous potassium-waterglass solution, which is applied to the essentially vertically aligned flat glass by a vertical spray bar according to the sol-gel process. Sol-gel method is used in Presently understood as a method in which a sol applied to the glass is then converted to a gel by removing (evaporating) the solvent (water).

What matters is not so much the atomization of the solution of potassium waterglass to be applied but that a closed surface of the sol is achieved on the glass surface, which is achieved in particular by the hydrophilization mentioned in the above point.

3. Reaction time (drying)

The applied sol is allowed to dry to a gel, which can be done without a climate chamber or special clean room conditions.

Depending on the climatic conditions and the temperature of the window, the drying time is between 5 min and 25 min.

The drying time can be accelerated by (slightly) increased temperature of the flat glass and / or heating panels and / or (light) convection with dry air.

It is advantageous that the sol dries completely to gel, otherwise there is a risk that large components of the layer are removed and stains in the surface of the flat glass become visible.

A good coating of the surface shows up when a bluish-purple shimmer can be seen in daylight.

4. Post-cleaning

The aim is to dissolve as much unbound potassium as possible out of the layer with a large volume of tempered osmosis water (conductivity less than 30 microSiemens). A small amount of bound potassium should remain in the non-porous surface and has the effect of hardening the surface and increasing corrosion resistance. Unbound potassium would corrode at the surface (reaction with carbon dioxide in the air) and degrade the transmission of light.

5. By thermally curing the coated glass, the layer is densified and strengthens the bond with the glass substrate.

Another possibility considered in the context of the invention, the properties of glass after the treatment according to the invention, is to add additives to the potassium waterglass. Such additives may include dyes, eg a white dye (such as Zinc oxide) which increases the reflectivity, be a fluorescence-causing substance or a substance which makes the obtained after the treatment, present in the surface of the glass layer, electrically conductive.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention are shown.

example 1

In this example, 2.1 mm thick white glass with dimensions of 550 x 360 mm is provided with an antireflection surface.

The procedure is as follows:

The glass is washed in the washing machine with approx. 40 ° hot water. Subsequently, the glass surface is treated with a flame. Then glass is again washed with the washing machine with 40 ° hot water. Then, a glass surface is sprayed with an aqueous potassium-water glass solution. After that, wait until the

Spray has reacted with the glass in the region of the surface, which takes about 10 to 15 min to complete.

The solution used for spraying had the following composition 96-97% water and 3-4% solids (Si0 ₂ , potassium, ...), wherein the potassium content of the liquid is less than 1% and in the coating material, a solids content of 3.33% ,

Afterwards the glass is rinsed again with 40 ° hot water.

Thereafter, the glass was subjected to thermal curing using a non-contact procedure.

As a result, the transmittances (transmission) shown in the diagram of FIG. 1 became.

Example 2

Using the procedure described in Example 1 and using the means mentioned there, three pieces of glass sheets were treated on one side with K waterglass and cured. In this experiment, the transmission values shown in the diagram of FIG. 2 were determined. Example 3

With the procedure and the means mentioned in Example 1, thin nanoporous glass skin was produced. One slice treated one third of the area untreated, one third of the area was unilaterally coated and one third of the area treated on both sides. For further disks were each simply coated and treated on both sides. In this experiment, the transmission values according to FIG. 3 were achieved.

In all tests, a hardness according to the 'pencil test' (DIN 55350-18, ISO 15 84) was found even at the hardest stage of the test (hardness H9).

There was no surface damage even at the hardest grade, hardness H9, of the pencil test (ISO 15184).

With a (not standardized) scratching test, with a scratch depth of 50nm, became

reproducibly determined that the treated surface is the same hardness to harder than a soda lime silicate glass surface.

The aim of the experiments was to achieve the desired reduced reflection values, increased hardness and scratch resistance, at least equal to untreated sodium lime glass (float glass) at layer thicknesses of less than 200 nm, in particular a layer thickness of 104 nm.

In summary, an embodiment of the invention can be described as follows.

Flat glass, in particular soda-lime flat glass, is treated with potassium water glass in order to change the optical properties of soda-lime flat glass, in particular to reduce its reflectivity. The soda-lime flat glass is thermally treated after the application of potassium waterglass to additionally harden the soda-lime flat glass. The treated flat glass can be used in particular for cover plates of photovoltaic modules.

Claims

Claims:

Process for treating objects made of glass, characterized in that the object, preferably a flat glass pane, in particular

Flat glass pane made of soda lime glass, treated with potassium water glass and then thermally treated, in particular hardened, is.

A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the article is treated with a solution of potassium waterglass.

A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the object is sprayed with a solution containing potassium water glass.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the object is cleaned prior to treatment with potassium water glass.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the solution containing potassium water glass on the object in a

uninterrupted layer is applied.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the layer applied to the article is allowed to dry.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that from the nano-porous surface not bound to the object potassium

is washed out.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the article for thermal treatment to a temperature in the range of 600 to 650 ° C, preferably non-contact, heated and then cooled back to room temperature.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a solution is used which contains in water 3 to 4%, preferably 3.4%, solids of potassium water glass.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the article is treated after cleaning and before coating with an open flame.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that unbound potassium is washed out of the porous surface.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the period is 10 to 15 minutes.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that during cleaning and / or washing out of potassium at about 30 to 50 ° C, in particular with 40 ° C warm water.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the object is heated before treatment to a temperature between 20 and 40 ° C, preferably to about 30 ° C.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that for the washing of unbound potassium regenerated water, in particular water having a conductivity of less than 50 ys, preferably less than 30yS is used.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that when treating flat glass, this is treated aligned substantially standing.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the solution containing potassium water glass from vertically stacked nozzles is sprayed onto the flat glass.

18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the article made of glass treated on one side, in particular made anti-reflective, is.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the article of glass treated on both sides, in particular made anti-reflective, is.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the present in the form of water glass coating of the article is transferred from glass by heating in a nano-porous skin on the surface of the glass article.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that for producing the nano porous surface of water glass, the article of glass is heated to a temperature in the order of 600 ° C to 650 ° C.

22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that after the

Heating the object of glass as a flat glass to fuse water glass with the flat glass is abruptly cooled to harden the flat glass.

23. Means for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the agent is an aqueous solution of potassium water glass.

24. Composition according to claim 23, characterized in that the agent contains 1 to 6 wt .-%, preferably 3 to 4 wt .-%, solids of the potassium water glass dissolved in water.

25. A composition according to claim 24, characterized in that the means less than

2 wt .-%, in particular less than 1 wt .-% potassium.

26. A composition according to any one of claims 23 to 25, characterized in that the agent is at least one of the group consisting of dye, in particular mineral dye, fluorescence triggering substance and conductive fabric making material added.