Glass product, display device, and electronic device

Abstract

The invention relates to a glass product, a display device and an electronic device. A glass article includes: an amorphous glass layer having an amorphous phase; crystal particles dispersed in the amorphous glass layer and having a crystal phase; and chromium ions dispersed in the amorphous glass layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The implementation methods relate to glass products, display devices, and electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] Glass products are widely used in electronic devices, including display devices, and as building materials. For example, glass products are used as substrates for flat panel display devices (such as liquid crystal displays, organic light-emitting displays, and electrophoretic displays) or as protective covers for flat panel display devices.

[0003] With the increasing prevalence of portable electronic devices (such as smartphones and tablet PCs), glass products used in these devices are frequently subjected to external impacts. There is a demand for the development of glass products that can withstand external impacts while remaining thin for easy portability.

[0004] Recently, display devices that can improve user visibility have been studied. Glass components used in foldable display devices are placed on the display surface of the foldable display device and affect visibility due to the reflection of external light. Accordingly, research is needed to improve the properties of the glass components (such as the reflectivity of external light). Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides glass articles capable of improving transmittance and reducing the reflectivity of external light, as well as display devices and electronic devices including the display devices.

[0006] However, the aspects of this disclosure are not limited to those set forth herein. The above and other aspects of this disclosure will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description of this disclosure given below.

[0007] According to aspects of this disclosure, a glass article may include: an amorphous glass layer having an amorphous phase; crystal particles having a crystalline phase dispersed in the amorphous glass layer; and chromium ions dispersed in the amorphous glass layer.

[0008] In an embodiment, the amorphous glass layer may include an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and may include a compression zone disposed adjacent to the upper surface and the lower surface, respectively, and a stretching zone disposed between the compression zones.

[0009] In this implementation, chromium ions can be placed in the compression zone.

[0010] In an embodiment, the compression zone may further include sodium ions.

[0011] In an embodiment, the chromium ion content may have a gradient in which the chromium ion content gradually decreases as it gets closer to the stretching zone in the compression zone.

[0012] In this embodiment, the size of the crystal particles can be in the range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm.

[0013] In this embodiment, the crystallinity can be in the range of about 50% to about 85%, and the crystallinity can be the volume ratio of crystal particles in the glass article.

[0014] According to aspects of this disclosure, the display device may include a display panel and a cover window disposed on the display panel, wherein the cover window includes: an amorphous glass layer having an amorphous phase; crystal particles having a crystalline phase dispersed in the amorphous glass layer; and chromium ions dispersed in the amorphous glass layer.

[0015] In an embodiment, the amorphous glass layer may include an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and the amorphous glass layer may include a compression region disposed adjacent to the upper surface and the lower surface, respectively, and a stretching region disposed between the compression regions.

[0016] In this implementation, chromium ions can be placed in the compression zone.

[0017] In an embodiment, the compression zone may further include sodium ions.

[0018] In an embodiment, the chromium ion content may have a gradient in which the chromium ion content gradually decreases as it gets closer to the stretching zone in the compression zone.

[0019] In this embodiment, the size of the crystal particles can be in the range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm.

[0020] In an embodiment, the crystallinity can be in the range of about 50% to about 85%, and the crystallinity can be the volume ratio of crystal particles in the covering window.

[0021] According to aspects of this disclosure, an electronic device may include a display panel and a cover window disposed on the display panel, wherein the cover window may include: an amorphous glass layer having an amorphous phase; crystal particles having a crystalline phase dispersed in the amorphous glass layer; and chromium ions dispersed in the amorphous glass layer.

[0022] In one embodiment, the amorphous glass layer includes an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and the amorphous glass layer includes a compression region disposed adjacent to the upper surface and the lower surface, respectively, and a stretching region disposed between the compression regions.

[0023] In this embodiment, chromium ions are disposed in the compression zone.

[0024] In this embodiment, the compression zone further includes sodium ions.

[0025] In this embodiment, the chromium ion content exhibits a gradient in the compression zone that gradually decreases as it gets closer to the stretching zone.

[0026] In this embodiment, the size of the crystal particles is in the range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm.

[0027] In this embodiment, the crystallinity of the cover window is 50% to 85%, and the crystallinity of the cover window can be the volume ratio of the crystal particles in the cover window.

[0028] According to the embodiments, glass products, display devices, and electronic devices can reduce reflectivity and improve transmittance through strengthening processes including chromium ions.

[0029] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and various other effects are included in the specification. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The above and other aspects and features of this disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description of embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of a glass article according to various embodiments;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic perspective view illustrating the unfolded state of a display device for a glass product according to an embodiment.

[0033] Figure 3 For illustration Figure 2 A schematic perspective view of the folded state of the display device;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example in which a glass article according to an embodiment is used as a cover window for a display device;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a glass article having a flat plate shape according to an embodiment;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a glass article according to an embodiment;

[0037] Figure 7 for Figure 6 An enlarged schematic diagram of area A;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing glass articles according to an embodiment;

[0039] Figures 9 to 13This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the process of a method for manufacturing glass articles according to an embodiment;

[0040] Figure 14 The graph illustrates the reflectance of the glass based on Experimental Example 1; and

[0041] Figure 15 and Figure 16 This is a schematic perspective view illustrating an application example of an electronic device. Detailed Implementation

[0042] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth for purposes of explanation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments or implementations of the invention. As used herein, “implementation” and “method” are interchangeable terms and are non-limiting examples of the apparatus or methods disclosed herein. However, it will be apparent, however, that various embodiments may be practiced without these specific details or with one or more equivalent arrangements. These various embodiments are not necessarily exclusive, nor do they necessarily limit this disclosure. For example, specific shapes, configurations, and characteristics of an embodiment may be used or implemented in another embodiment.

[0043] Unless otherwise indicated, the illustrated embodiments should be understood as providing features of the invention. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, features, components, modules, layers, films, panels, areas and / or aspects (hereinafter individually or collectively referred to as “elements”) of various embodiments may be combined, separated, interchanged and / or rearranged in other ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0044] Crosshairs and / or shading are generally used in the accompanying drawings to clarify the boundaries between adjacent elements. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the presence or absence of crosshairs or shading does not indicate or suggest any preference or requirement for a particular material, material properties, dimensions, scale, commonalities between illustrated elements, and / or any other characteristics, properties, or characteristics of the elements. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the dimensions and relative dimensions of elements may be enlarged for clarity and / or descriptive purposes. When embodiments can be implemented differently, the specific process sequence may differ from the described sequence. For example, two consecutively described processes may be performed substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order of the described sequence. And, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0045] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "connected to," or "bonded to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, connected to, or bonded to the other element or layer, or an intermediary element or layer may be present. However, when an element or layer is referred to as being "directly on," "directly connected to," or "directly bonded to" another element or layer, an intermediary element or layer is not present. For this purpose, the term "connection" may refer to a physical connection, electrical connection, and / or fluid connection with or without an intermediary element. Furthermore, the axes of the first direction DR1, the second direction DR2, and the third direction DR3 are not limited to the three axes of a Cartesian coordinate system (e.g., the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis) and may be interpreted in a broader sense. For example, the axes of the first direction DR1, the second direction DR2, and the third direction DR3 may be perpendicular to each other, or may represent different directions that are not perpendicular to each other. For the purposes of this disclosure, "at least one of A and B" may be understood to mean only A, only B, or any combination of A and B. Furthermore, "at least one of X, Y, and Z" and "at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y, and Z" can be interpreted as only X, only Y, only Z, or any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated enumerated items.

[0046] Although the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used herein to describe various types of elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of this disclosure, the first element discussed below may be referred to as the second element.

[0047] Spatial relative terms, such as “below,” “under,” “below,” “down,” “above,” “above,” “higher,” and “side” (e.g., as in “sidewall”), may be used herein for descriptive purposes and thereby to describe the relationship between one element and another, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In addition to the orientations depicted in the drawings, spatial relative terms are also intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use, operation, and / or manufacture. For example, if the device in the drawings is flipped, an element described as “below” or “under” other elements or features will then be oriented “above” other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” can encompass both above and below orientations. Furthermore, the device may be oriented in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or otherwise), and for this reason, the spatial relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0048] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” as used herein are intended to also include the plural forms. Furthermore, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and / or “including,” when used in this specification, indicate the presence of described features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It should also be noted that, as used herein, the terms “substantially,” “about,” and other similar terms are used as approximations and not as terms of degree, and, therefore, inherent biases in the measurement, calculated, and / or provided values ​​will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0049] Various embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional and / or exploded views, which are schematic illustrations of embodiments and / or intermediate structures. Therefore, variations in the shapes of the illustrations due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances will be expected. Consequently, the embodiments disclosed herein should not necessarily be interpreted as limited to specific illustrated shapes of areas, but include, for example, deviations in shape resulting from manufacturing processes. In this way, the areas illustrated in the figures can be schematic in nature, and the shapes of these areas may not reflect the actual shapes of the areas of the device, and therefore, the shapes of these areas are not necessarily intended to be limiting.

[0050] In accordance with the conventions of the art, some embodiments are described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings as functional blocks, units, and / or modules. Those skilled in the art will recognize that these blocks, units, and / or modules can be physically implemented using electronic (or optical) circuits (e.g., logic circuits, discrete components, microprocessors, hardwired circuits, memory elements, and wiring connections, etc.) formed using semiconductor-based manufacturing techniques or other manufacturing techniques. Where blocks, units, and / or modules are implemented by microprocessors or other similar hardware, they can be programmed and controlled using software (e.g., microcode) to perform the various functions discussed herein, and may optionally be driven by firmware and / or software. It is also contemplated that each block, unit, and / or module can be implemented by dedicated hardware, or can be implemented as a combination of dedicated hardware for performing some functions and a processor (e.g., one or more programmable microprocessors and associated circuitry) for performing other functions. Furthermore, without departing from the scope of the invention, each block, unit, and / or module in some embodiments can be physically separated into two or more mutually and discrete blocks, units, and / or modules. Furthermore, without departing from the scope of the present invention, some implementation blocks, units and / or modules can be physically combined into more complex blocks, units and / or modules.

[0051] In the following description, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Figure 1 Schematic perspective views of glass articles 100, 101, 102 and 103 according to various embodiments.

[0053] In electronic devices including display devices (such as refrigerators and washing machines with displays, as well as tablet PCs, laptops, smartphones, e-book readers, televisions, and PC monitors), glass can be used as a protective cover for the display device, a substrate for the display panel, a substrate for the touch panel, and optical components (such as light guide plates). Glass can also be used as a covering glass for vehicle dashboards, a covering glass for solar cells, an interior material for building materials, and windows for buildings or houses.

[0054] Glass can be required to have high strength. For example, glass used in windows can be strong enough to resist external impacts and not easily damaged by them, while also having a small thickness to meet the requirements of high transmittance and lightweight. Glass with increased strength can be manufactured using methods such as chemical strengthening or thermal strengthening processes. Figure 1 The illustration shows examples of reinforced glass with various shapes.

[0055] refer to Figure 1In one embodiment, the glass article 100 may have a flat sheet shape or a plate shape. In another embodiment, glass articles 101, 102, and 103 may each have a three-dimensional shape including curved portions. For example, the edges of the flat portions of the glass articles may be curved (see glass article 101), or the glass articles may be integrally curved (see glass article 102) or folded (see glass article 103). In another example, the glass article 100 may be a foldable glass article having a flat sheet shape or a plate shape, but being flexible and capable of being folded or bent. For example, the glass article 100 may be stretched or rolled.

[0056] In the plan view, each of the glass articles 100 to 103 may have a rectangular shape, but is not limited thereto, and may have various shapes, such as a rectangular shape with rounded corners, a square shape, a circular shape, and an elliptical shape. In the following embodiments, it will be described by way of example that each of the glass articles 100 to 103 in the plan view is a flat plate with a rectangular shape, but the embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0057] Figure 2 This is a schematic perspective view illustrating the unfolded state of the display device 500 using a glass article according to the embodiment. Figure 3 For illustration Figure 2 A schematic perspective view of the folded state of the display device 500.

[0058] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The display device 500 according to the embodiment may be a foldable display device. As described later, in the display device 500, Figure 1 The glass product 100 can be used as a cover window and can be flexible and foldable.

[0059] exist Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the plan view, the first direction DR1 can be parallel to one side of the display device 500, and can be, for example, the lateral direction of the display device 500. In the plan view, the second direction DR2 can be parallel to the other side of the display device 500 that is in contact with one side of the display device 500, and can be the longitudinal direction of the display device 500. The third direction DR3 can be the thickness direction of the display device 500.

[0060] In an embodiment, the display device 500 may have a rectangular shape in a plan view. In the plan view, the display device 500 may have a rectangular shape with right-angled corners or a rectangular shape with rounded corners. In the plan view, the display device 500 may include two short sides disposed in a first direction DR1 and two long sides disposed in a second direction DR2.

[0061] The display device 500 may include a display area DA and a non-display area NDA. In a plan view, the shape of the display area DA may correspond to the shape of the display device 500. For example, in a plan view, if the display device 500 has a rectangular shape, the display area DA may also have a rectangular shape.

[0062] The display area DA can be an area of ​​a display image comprising multiple pixels. Pixels can be arranged in a matrix. In a planar view, each of the multiple pixels can have a rectangular, rhomboid, or square shape, but is not limited to these. For example, in a planar view, pixels can have quadrilateral shapes other than rectangular, rhomboid, or square shapes, polygonal shapes other than quadrilateral shapes, circular shapes, or elliptical shapes.

[0063] The non-display area NDA can be an area where no image is displayed, because the non-display area NDA does not include pixels. The non-display area NDA can be positioned around the display area DA. The non-display area NDA can be positioned to surround the display area DA, but the implementation is not limited to this. The display area DA can be partially surrounded by the non-display area NDA.

[0064] In some embodiments, the display device 500 can maintain both a folded state and an unfolded state. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the display device 500 can be folded inwards, with the display area DA located inside. When the display device 500 is folded inwards, its upper surfaces can face each other. As another example, the display device 500 can be folded outwards, with the display area DA located outside. When the display device 500 is folded outwards, its lower surfaces can face each other.

[0065] In embodiments, the display device 500 may be a foldable device. As used herein, the term "foldable device" means a device that can be folded, and its meaning includes not only a folded device but also a device that operates in both folded and unfolded states. For example, folding typically includes folding at an angle of approximately 180°, but embodiments are not limited to this, and the display device 500 may be understood to be folded when the folding angle is greater than or less than approximately 180°, such as approximately 90° or greater and less than approximately 180°, or approximately 120° or greater and less than 180°. For example, the display device 500 may be referred to as folded when it is in a bent state, not unfolded, even if it is not fully folded. For example, even if the display device 500 is bent at an angle of approximately 90° or less, as long as the maximum folding angle is approximately 90° or greater, the display device 500 may be considered to be in a folded state to distinguish it from an unfolded state. When folded, the radius of curvature of the display device 500 may be about 5 mm or less, in the range of about 1 mm to about 2 mm, or about 1.5 mm, but the implementation is not limited thereto.

[0066] In one embodiment, the display device 500 may include a folded region FDA, a first non-folded region NFA1, and a second non-folded region NFA2. The folded region FDA may be an area in which the display device 500 is folded, and the first non-folded region NFA1 and the second non-folded region NFA2 may be areas in which the display device 500 is not folded.

[0067] The first non-folded region NFA1 can be located on one side of the folded region FDA (e.g., the upper side). The second non-folded region NFA2 can be located on the other side of the folded region FDA (e.g., the lower side). The folded region FDA can be a region curved with a selected radius of curvature.

[0068] In one embodiment, the folding area FDA of the display device 500 can be specified (or defined) at a specific location. The number of folding areas FDA specified at a specific location in the display device 500 can be one, two, or more. In another embodiment, the location of the folding area FDA may not be specified in the display device 500, and can be freely set (or selected) in various areas.

[0069] In this embodiment, the display device 500 can be folded in the second direction DR2. For example, the length of the display device 500 in the second direction DR2 can be reduced by about half, and therefore, the user can easily carry the display device 500.

[0070] In this embodiment, the direction in which the display device 500 is folded is not limited to the second direction DR2. For example, the display device 500 may be folded in the first direction DR1. For example, the length of the display device 500 in the first direction DR1 may be reduced by approximately half.

[0071] exist Figure 2 and Figure 3 As illustrated, each of the display area DA and the non-display area NDA overlaps with the folded area FDA, the first non-folded area NFA1, and the second non-folded area NFA2, but the implementation is not limited thereto. For example, each of the display area DA and the non-display area NDA may overlap with at least one of the folded area FDA, the first non-folded area NFA1, and the second non-folded area NFA2.

[0072] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example in which the glass article 100 according to an embodiment is used as a cover window of a display device 500.

[0073] refer to Figure 4 The display device 500 may include a display panel 200, a glass article 100 disposed on the display panel 200 and used as a cover window (or functioning as a cover window), and an optically transparent bonding layer 300 disposed between the display panel 200 and the glass article 100 and bonding the display panel 200 and the glass article 100 together.

[0074] Display panel 200 may include, for example, not only self-emissive display panels (such as organic light-emitting display panels (OLED), inorganic light-emitting display panels (ILED), quantum dot light-emitting display panels (QLED), micro LED display panels (microLED), nano LED display panels (nanoLED), plasma display panels (PDP), field emission display panels (FED), and cathode ray display panels (CRT)), but also light-receiving display panels (such as liquid crystal display panels (LCD) and electrophoretic display panels (EPD)).

[0075] The display panel 200 may include pixels PX, and images may be displayed using light emitted from each pixel PX. The display device 500 may further include a touch component. In one embodiment, the touch component may be embedded in the display panel 200. For example, the touch component may be formed (e.g., directly formed) on a display component of the display panel 200 so that the display panel 200 itself can perform touch functionality. In another embodiment, the touch component may be manufactured separately from the display panel 200 and then attached to the upper surface of the display panel 200 via an optically transparent bonding layer 300.

[0076] A glass article 100 protecting the display panel 200 may be disposed on the display panel 200. The glass article 100 may have a size larger than the display panel 200, such that the side surfaces of the glass article 100 can protrude outwards from the side surfaces of the display panel 200, but the implementation is not limited to this. The display device 500 may further include a printed layer disposed at the edge portion of the glass article 100, on at least one surface of the glass article 100. The printed layer can prevent the bezel area of ​​the display device 500 from being observed from the outside and, in some cases, can serve a decorative function.

[0077] An optically transparent bonding layer 300 can be disposed between the display panel 200 and the glass product 100. The optically transparent bonding layer 300 can be used to fix the glass product 100 to the display panel 200 (or serve to fix the glass product 100 to the display panel 200). The optically transparent bonding layer 300 may include optically transparent adhesive (OCA) or optically transparent resin (OCR), etc.

[0078] The glass article 100 described above will be described in more detail below.

[0079] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a glass article 100 having a flat plate shape according to an embodiment.

[0080] refer to Figure 5 The glass article 100 may include a first surface US, a second surface RS, and a side surface. In the glass article 100 having a flat plate shape, the first surface US and the second surface RS may be main surfaces with a large area, and the side surface may be an outer surface that connects the first surface US and the second surface RS to each other.

[0081] The first surface US and the second surface RS can be in the thickness direction (see...). Figure 2 The third surfaces (DR3) are opposite to each other. When the glass article 100 is used to transmit light as a cover window of a display device (or to act as a cover window of a display device), light can mainly enter either the first surface US or the second surface RS, and then be transmitted through the other of the first surface US and the second surface RS.

[0082] The thickness t of the glass article 100 can be defined as the distance between the first surface US and the second surface RS. The thickness t of the glass article 100 can range from about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm, but the embodiments are not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the thickness t of the glass article 100 can be about 0.8 mm or less. In another embodiment, the thickness t of the glass article 100 can be about 0.75 mm or less. In yet another embodiment, the thickness t of the glass article 100 can be about 0.7 mm or less. In yet another embodiment, the thickness t of the glass article 100 can be about 0.65 mm or less. In yet another embodiment, the thickness t of the glass article 100 can be about 0.6 mm or less. In yet another embodiment, the thickness t of the glass article 100 can be about 0.5 mm or less. In yet another embodiment, the thickness t of the glass article 100 can be about 0.3 mm or less. In some embodiments, the thickness t of the glass article 100 can range from about 0.6 mm to about 0.8 mm or from about 0.69 mm to about 0.71 mm. The glass article 100 may have a uniform thickness t, but the embodiments are not limited thereto, and different thicknesses t may be present for each region. In the following embodiments, a glass article 100 having a thickness of approximately 0.70 mm will be described by way of example, but the embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0083] Glass article 100 can be strengthened to have a selected stress distribution therein. Compared with the unstrengthened glass article 100, the strengthened glass article 100 is better able to prevent the occurrence and propagation of cracks, damage, and similar problems caused by external impacts. The strengthened glass article 100 can have various stresses for each region. For example, compression zones CSR1 and CSR2, in which compressive stress acts, can be located near the surface of the glass article 100, for example, near the first surface US and the second surface RS, and tension zone CTR, in which tensile stress acts, can be located inside the glass article 100. The tension zone CTR can have an upper (or top) surface DOC1 and a lower (or bottom) surface DOC2. The stress values ​​at the boundaries between compression zone CSR1 and tension zone CTR, and between compression zone CSR2 and tension zone CTR, can be approximately 0. The stress value of the compressive stress in at least one of compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 can vary depending on location (e.g., depth from the surface). Additionally, the tension zone CTR can also have different stress values ​​depending on its depth from the first surface US or the second surface RS. In an embodiment, the thickness of each of the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 formed from the surface of the glass article 100, such as the compression depth DOL, can be about 150 μm or less. However, the compression depth DOL of the glass article 100 is not limited to this.

[0084] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a glass article 100 according to an embodiment. Figure 7 for Figure 6 An enlarged schematic diagram of region A. For example, Figure 7 The illustration shows a portion of the first compression zone CSR1 and the stretching zone CTR of the glass article 100.

[0085] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The glass article 100 according to the embodiment can be a crystalline glass (e.g., a glass-ceramic). Crystalline glass can have superior electrical, mechanical, thermal, physical, and chemical properties compared to the parent glass (e.g., amorphous glass). Crystalline glass can be manufactured by heat-treating the parent glass as described below. It can have the advantage of improved mechanical properties, and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) can be adjusted by adjusting (or controlling) the size of the crystal grains through the heat treatment method.

[0086] The glass article 100 may include lithium aluminum silicate (LAS) crystalline glass or sodium aluminum silicate (SAS) crystalline glass. In embodiments, the glass article 100 may include LAS crystalline glass. For example, the glass article 100 may include silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and lithium oxide (Li2O). In this case, the glass article 100 may further include at least one selected from phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), potassium oxide (K2O), magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium oxide (CaO), strontium oxide (SrO), barium oxide (BaO), tin oxide (SnO2), and zirconium oxide (ZrO2). However, the glass article 100 is not limited thereto and may further include other components.

[0087] In another embodiment, the glass article 100 may include silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), lithium oxide (Li2O), and sodium oxide (Na2O). In this case, the glass article 100 may further include at least one selected from phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), potassium oxide (K2O), magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium oxide (CaO), strontium oxide (SrO), barium oxide (BaO), tin oxide (SnO2), and zirconium oxide (ZrO2). However, the glass article 100 is not limited thereto and may further include other components.

[0088] The glass article 100 according to the embodiments may include an amorphous glass layer UCL and crystalline particles CP dispersed in the amorphous glass layer UCL. For example, the glass article 100 may include sodium ions SD and chromium ions CR dispersed in the amorphous glass layer UCL.

[0089] The amorphous glass layer UCL can be a layer formed in the glass article 100 as an amorphous phase. The amorphous glass layer UCL can form the overall appearance (or outline) of the glass article 100 and can include a first surface US of the glass article 100 and a second surface RS opposite to the first surface US. For example, the first surface US of the glass article 100 can be the first surface US (or upper surface) of the amorphous glass layer UCL, and the second surface RS of the glass article 100 can be the second surface RS (or lower surface) of the amorphous glass layer UCL.

[0090] Crystalline particles (CP) can be formed into a crystalline phase by crystallizing the glass. The crystalline phase can be, for example, a lithium disilicate crystalline phase, but the implementation is not limited to this. The crystalline particles (CP) can be randomly dispersed and disposed within the amorphous glass layer (UCL). For example, the spacing (or distance) between the crystalline particles (CP) can be random. The size of the crystalline particles (CP) can range from about 10 nm to about 50 nm. When the size of the crystalline particles (CP) is about 10 nm or larger, the strength of the glass article 100 can be increased, and when the size of the crystalline particles (CP) is about 50 nm or smaller, a decrease in the transmittance of the glass article 100 can be prevented.

[0091] The crystallinity of the glass article 100 can be about 50% or greater. For example, the crystallinity of the glass article 100 can be from about 50% to about 85%. For example, the crystallinity of the glass article 100 can be the proportion (e.g., volume ratio) of the crystal particles CP in the glass article 100. When the crystallinity of the glass article 100 is about 50% or greater, the strength of the glass article 100 can be increased. For example, the crystallinity of the glass article 100 can be about 85% or less, and a decrease in the transmittance of the glass article 100 can be prevented.

[0092] The amorphous glass layer UCL and crystalline particles CP of the glass article 100 can be disposed throughout the entire glass article 100. For example, the amorphous glass layer UCL and crystalline particles CP can be disposed in the compression zone CSR1 and compression zone CSR2 and the stretching zone CTR of the glass article 100.

[0093] According to an embodiment, the glass article 100 may include sodium ion (Na ion) SD and chromium ion (Cr ion) CR. The sodium ion SD and chromium ion CR may be disposed in compression regions CSR1 and CSR2 of the glass article 100. For example, the sodium ion SD and chromium ion CR may be disposed in a first compression region CSR1 adjacent to a first surface US of the glass article 100 and a second compression region CSR2 adjacent to a second surface RS of the glass article 100.

[0094] Sodium ion SDs can be included in the glass article 100 via a chemically enhanced ion exchange process described below. The sodium ion SDs can be disposed in the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 of the glass article 100 by ion exchange with other ions included in the glass article 100. The sodium ion SDs disposed near the surface of the glass article 100 can create surface compressive stresses on the glass article 100.

[0095] Sodium ions (SD) can be randomly distributed in the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 of the glass article 100. In an embodiment, the sodium ion content of SD can have a content gradient in the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 that gradually decreases as it gets closer to the stretching zone CTR.

[0096] Chromium ions (CRs) can be incorporated into the glass article 100 via a chemically enhanced ion exchange process described below. The chromium ions (CRs) can be disposed in the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 of the glass article 100 by ion exchange with other ions included in the glass article 100. The chromium ions (CRs) disposed near the surface of the glass article 100 can reduce the reflectivity of the glass article 100 and improve its transmittance.

[0097] Chromium ions (CR) can be randomly distributed in the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 of the glass article 100. In an embodiment, the content of chromium ions (CR) can form a gradient that decreases from the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 to the stretching zone CTR. For example, the content of chromium ions (CR) can have a content gradient in the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2 that gradually decreases as it gets closer to the stretching zone CTR. For example, chromium ions can be provided in the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2, but may not be provided in the stretching zone CTR.

[0098] As described above, the chromium ions (CR) included in the glass article 100 can reduce the reflectivity of the glass article 100 and improve its transmittance. The chromium ions (CR) included in the glass article 100 can exhibit (or have) high refractive index characteristics, and the sodium ions (SD) included in the glass article 100 can exhibit (or have) low refractive index characteristics. When light is incident from the outside and reaches the first compression zone CSR1 disposed adjacent to the first surface US of the glass article 100, the light can be reflected by the chromium ions (CR) and the sodium ions (SD). The light wave L1 reflected by the chromium ions (CR) with high refractive index and the light wave L2 reflected by the sodium ions (SD) with low refractive index can be canceled out by destructive interference. Accordingly, the reflectivity of the glass article 100 can be reduced, and the transmittance of the glass article 100 can be improved.

[0099] The method for manufacturing glass article 100 described above will be described below with reference to other accompanying drawings.

[0100] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a glass article 100 according to an embodiment. Figures 9 to 13 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the process of a method for manufacturing a glass article 100 according to an embodiment. In the method for manufacturing the glass article 100 described below, the above-described process for manufacturing... Figure 6 The method of making the glass article 100 shown in the figure.

[0101] refer to Figure 8 The method for manufacturing a glass article 100 according to the embodiment may include providing a mother glass in step S100, crystallizing the mother glass in step S200, and strengthening the crystallized glass in step S300.

[0102] Combination Figure 8 refer to Figure 9 First, a mother glass MGB may be provided in step S100. The mother glass MGB may comprise lithium aluminum silicate (LAS) amorphous glass or sodium aluminum silicate (SAS) amorphous glass. LAS amorphous glass may comprise silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and lithium oxide (Li2O). In this case, LAS amorphous glass may further comprise at least one selected from phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), potassium oxide (K2O), magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium oxide (CaO), strontium oxide (SrO), barium oxide (BaO), tin oxide (SnO2), and zirconium oxide (ZrO2).

[0103] Next, refer to Figure 10 In step S200, the mother glass MGB can be crystallized. The mother glass MGB can be crystallized by heat treatment or laser crystallization. In this embodiment, the mother glass MGB can be crystallized by a heat treatment process. For example, the mother glass MGB can be crystallized by placing it in a furnace and applying heat to it. The heat treatment process can be performed by raising the temperature from room temperature to a first temperature, holding the first temperature for a selected time, raising the temperature from the first temperature to a second temperature, and holding the second temperature for a selected time. For example, the heating rate can be in the range of about 5°C / min to about 15°C / min, the first temperature can be about 500°C to about 600°C, and the second temperature can be about 700°C to about 800°C. The time for holding the first temperature can be in the range of about 3 hours to about 5 hours, and the time for holding the second temperature can be in the range of about 1 hour to about 3 hours. However, the embodiments are not limited to these.

[0104] In a heat treatment process, an amorphous phase mother glass (MGB) can crystallize into a crystalline phase. For example, when heat is applied to the mother glass MGB, a portion of the amorphous phase mother glass MGB can crystallize to form crystalline grains (CP) of the crystalline phase, and the remaining portion of the amorphous phase mother glass MGB can remain in the amorphous phase to form an amorphous glass layer (UCL). For example, the heat treatment process can be adjusted so that the size of the crystalline grains (CP) can be in the range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm, and the crystallinity can be in the range of about 50% to about 85%. Accordingly, the amorphous phase mother glass MGB can be formed into a crystalline glass (CMB).

[0105] Next, refer to Figure 11 and Figure 12 In step S300, the crystalline glass CMB can be strengthened. The strengthening of the crystalline glass CMB can be achieved through chemical strengthening. When the crystalline glass CMB has a small thickness of about 2 mm or less, or even about 0.75 mm or less, chemical strengthening methods can be applied to precisely control the stress distribution.

[0106] Chemical strengthening can be achieved through ion exchange processes. Ion exchange is a process in which ions within a crystalline glass CMB exchange with other ions. Through ion exchange, ions on or near the surface of the crystalline glass CMB can be replaced or exchanged by larger ions with the same valence or oxidation state. For example, in crystalline glass CMBs containing monovalent alkali metals (such as Li), + Na + K + or Rb + In the case of a crystal glass CMB, monovalent cations on the surface can react with Na+ ions whose ionic radii are larger than those of the monovalent cations. + K + 、Rb + or Cs + Ions exchange.

[0107] Chemical strengthening can be either single-salt wet chemical strengthening or mixed-salt wet chemical strengthening using an impregnation method. For example, chemical strengthening can be carried out by immersing a crystal glass (CMB) in a molten salt (MTM) containing an alkali metal ion salt and housed in a bath (BTH). According to this embodiment, chemical strengthening can be performed using mixed-salt wet chemical strengthening.

[0108] According to an embodiment, a crystallizing glass CMB is placed in a bath BTH containing a molten salt MTM. The molten salt MTM may include sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and chromium nitrate (Cr(NO3)2). Sodium nitrate (NaNO3) can be used to provide sodium ions to the crystallizing glass CMB (or acts as a sodium ion supplier to the crystallizing glass CMB), and chromium nitrate (Cr(NO3)2) can be used to provide chromium ions to the crystallizing glass CMB (or acts as a chromium ion supplier to the crystallizing glass CMB). In an embodiment, the molten salt MTM may include about 90 wt% to about 99 wt% of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and about 1 wt% to about 10 wt% of chromium nitrate (Cr(NO3)2). When the chromium nitrate (Cr(NO3)2) content is about 1 wt% or greater, chromium ions can be supplied to the crystallizing glass CMB to reduce the reflectivity of the final glass article 100 and improve the transmittance of the final glass article 100. For example, when the content of chromium nitrate (Cr(NO3)2) is about 10 wt% or less, the final glass article 100 can be prevented from being colored by chromium ions.

[0109] The strengthening temperature can range from about 350°C to about 550°C. At strengthening temperatures of about 350°C or higher, ion exchange processes can be performed, and at strengthening temperatures of about 550°C or lower, the evaporation of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) can be prevented. The strengthening time can range from about 10 minutes to about 12 hours. At strengthening times of 10 minutes or longer, a smooth compression depth DOL (see [reference needed]) can be formed in the final glass article 100. Figure 6 Furthermore, with a reinforcement time of approximately 12 hours or less, the compression depth DOL (see...) Figure 6 The compression depth DOL of the final glass article 100 can be further increased and saturated, thereby avoiding unnecessary processing time. According to the embodiment, the compression depth DOL of the final glass article 100 (see...) Figure 6 It can be formed into a size of about 150 μm or smaller.

[0110] When a crystal glass CMB is exposed to sodium and chromium ions, lithium ions inside the CMB can be expelled to the outside and replaced by sodium and chromium ions. The exchanged sodium ions can generate compressive stress because they have a larger ionic radius than lithium ions. The greater the amount of exchanged sodium ions, the greater the compressive stress. Because ion exchange occurs through the glass surface, the amount of sodium ions on the glass surface can be maximized. Some exchanged sodium ions may diffuse into the glass to increase the depth of the compression zone (in other words, the depth of compression, DOL). Figure 6 However, the amount of exchanged sodium ions generally decreases with increasing distance from the glass surface. Accordingly, the glass can have a stress distribution in which compressive stress is greatest on its surface and decreases toward its interior.

[0111] The exchanged chromium ions can diffuse into the glass and settle inside it, and can be set at the compression depth DOL formed by the exchanged sodium ions (see...). Figure 6 In this process, the amount of exchanged chromium ions generally decreases with increasing distance from the glass surface. Exchanged sodium ions can exhibit (or have) a low refractive index, while chromium ions can exhibit (or have) a high refractive index. Accordingly, when external light is incident near the glass surface, the external light can be reflected and canceled out by sodium and chromium ions, and thus, the reflectivity of the glass can be reduced and the transmittance of the glass can be improved.

[0112] refer to Figure 13 The strengthened crystalline glass can be made into the final glass article 100. Compression zones CSR1 and CSR2, as well as a stretching zone CTR, can be formed in the glass article 100. According to the embodiment, the glass article 100 may include sodium ions (SD) and chromium ions (CR) in the compression zones CSR1 and CSR2, thereby reducing the reflectivity of the glass article 100 and improving its transmittance.

[0113] The examples will be described in more detail below through manufacturing and experimental examples.

[0114] Manufacturing example: Manufacturing of tempered glass

[0115] A plate-shaped crystalline glass substrate having a lithium aluminum silicate composition was prepared, and a glass according to a comparative example without a strengthening process was manufactured. Samples #A, #B, #C, #D and #E were manufactured under different conditions for chemical strengthening processes.

[0116] Sample #A was subjected to an enhanced process in a bath containing approximately 100 wt% sodium nitrate molten salt.

[0117] Sample #B was subjected to an enhanced process in a bath containing a molten salt comprising sodium nitrate and chromium nitrate mixed together in a weight ratio of 95:5.

[0118] Sample #C was subjected to an enhanced process in a bath containing a molten salt comprising sodium nitrate and copper nitrate mixed together in a weight ratio of 95:5.

[0119] The sample #D was subjected to an enhanced process in a bath containing a molten salt of sodium nitrate and chromium nitrate mixed together in a weight ratio of 99.95:0.05.

[0120] The sample #E was subjected to an enhanced process in a bath containing a molten salt comprising sodium nitrate and chromium nitrate mixed together in a weight ratio of 99.5:0.5.

[0121] The strengthening process for samples #A, #B, and #C was carried out at a temperature of approximately 450°C for approximately 3 hours.

[0122] The thickness of the glass in samples #A and #B after the strengthening process was measured using an FSM-6000 (see...). Figure 2 The compressive stress, compression depth, and central stress at each selected depth from the sample surface on the third-party DR3 are shown in Table 1.

[0123] [Table 1]

[0124] Sample #A Sample #B Compressive stress (MPa) at 0 μm 419 419.5 Compressive stress (MPa) at 30 μm point 261 269.8 Compression depth (μm) 100 102 Central stress (MPa) 102 125.9

[0125] Referring to Table 1, it can be confirmed that there is no significant difference in strengthening characteristics between sample #A and sample #B, depending on the strengthening process.

[0126] Experimental Example 1: Evaluation of Reflectivity

[0127] The reflectance of the glass manufactured in the manufacturing example, including the comparative example, sample #A, sample #B, and sample #C, was measured, and... Figure 14 As shown in the image. Figure 14 The graph illustrates the reflectivity of the glass based on Experiment Example 1.

[0128] refer to Figure 14 The reflectances of the glass in the comparative example, sample #A, sample #B, and sample #C were 9.07%, 8.67%, 7.79%, and 8.97%, respectively. In contrast, sample #B, in which chromium ions were exchanged, had a significantly lower reflectance.

[0129] This result confirms that the reflectivity of glass products in which chromium ions are exchanged during the strengthening process is reduced.

[0130] Experimental Example 2: Evaluation of transmittance, yellow index and reflectance.

[0131] The transmittance, yellow index, and reflectance of the glass of samples #B, #D, and #E manufactured in the manufacturing example were measured and are shown in Table 2. For example, the strengthening processes of samples #B, #D, and #E were performed differently, at a temperature of approximately 450°C for approximately 1 hour, approximately 3 hours, and approximately 5 hours, respectively.

[0132] [Table 2]

[0133]

[0134]

[0135] Referring to Table 2, sample #D, strengthened with a molten salt comprising sodium nitrate and chromium nitrate mixed in a weight ratio of 99.95:0.05, exhibits approximately 91% transmittance, a yellow index of approximately 0.63 to approximately 0.73, and approximately 9% reflectance. Sample #E, strengthened with a molten salt comprising sodium nitrate and chromium nitrate mixed in a weight ratio of 99.5:0.5, exhibits approximately 91% transmittance, a yellow index of approximately 0.67 to approximately 0.7, and approximately 9% reflectance. On the other hand, sample #B, strengthened with a molten salt comprising sodium nitrate and chromium nitrate mixed in a weight ratio of 95:5, exhibits approximately 92% transmittance, a yellow index of approximately 0.36 to approximately 0.56, and approximately 7% reflectance.

[0136] These results confirm that when glass is strengthened with a molten salt comprising sodium nitrate and chromium nitrate mixed in a weight ratio of 95:5, transmittance is improved, reflectance is reduced, and the yellow index is not high enough to prevent the glass from being colored.

[0137] refer to Figure 15 The electronic device can be applied to a smartwatch 1000, which includes a display portion 1100 and a strap portion 1200. The smartwatch 1000 can be a wearable electronic device. For example, the smartwatch 1000 can have a structure in which the strap portion 1200 is worn on the user's wrist. The electronic device can be applied to the display portion 1100, thereby providing the user with image data including time information.

[0138] refer to Figure 16 The electronic device can be applied to the head-mounted display device 2000. The head-mounted display device 2000 can be a wearable electronic device that can be worn on a user's head. For example, the head-mounted display device 2000 can be a wearable electronic device for virtual reality (VR) or mixed reality (MR). The head-mounted display device 2000 may include a headband 2100 and a display housing 2200. The headband 2100 can be connected to the display housing 2200. The headband 2100 may include a horizontal strap and / or a vertical strap for securing the head-mounted display device 2000 to the user's head. The horizontal strap may be configured to surround the sides of the user's head, and the vertical strap may be configured to surround the top of the user's head. However, the implementation is not limited thereto. For example, within the spirit and scope of this disclosure, the headband 2100 may be implemented in the form of eyeglasses, a helmet, etc.

[0139] For example, the electronic device may be at least one of a television, a laptop computer, a monitor, an advertising board, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a portable electronic device (including a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet PC, a mobile communication terminal, an electronic notebook, an e-book, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation or ultra-mobile PC (UMPC)), a wearable electronic device (including a smartwatch, a watch phone, a glasses display or a head-mounted display (HMD)), a dashboard for a car, a center information display (CID) on the center console or instrument panel for a car, an interior mirror display for a car, and an entertainment system display on the back of the front seats of a car.

[0140] As described above, the glass articles according to the embodiments can reduce reflectivity and improve transmittance by using a strengthening process including chromium ions.

[0141] In concluding this detailed description, those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations and modifications can be made to the embodiments without substantially departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein are used in a general and descriptive sense only, and not for limiting purposes.

Claims

1. A glass article comprising: Amorphous glass layer with an amorphous phase; Crystal particles dispersed in the amorphous glass layer and having a crystalline phase; as well as Chromium ions dispersed in the amorphous glass layer.

2. The glass article according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous glass layer comprises an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to each other, and includes a compression zone disposed adjacent to the upper surface and the lower surface respectively, and a tension zone disposed between the compression zones.

3. The glass article according to claim 2, wherein the chromium ions are disposed in the compression zone.

4. The glass article according to claim 2, wherein the compression zone further comprises sodium ions.

5. The glass article according to claim 3, wherein the chromium ions have a content gradient in the compression zone that gradually decreases as it gets closer to the stretching zone.

6. The glass article according to claim 1, wherein the size of the crystal particles is in the range of 10 nm to 50 nm.

7. The glass article according to claim 1, wherein the crystallinity is in the range of 50% to 85%, and the crystallinity is the volume ratio of crystal particles in the glass article.

8. A display device, comprising: Display panel; as well as A cover window is provided on the display panel. The covered window includes glass articles according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. An electronic device comprising: Display panel; as well as A cover window is provided on the display panel. The covered window includes glass articles according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images