Columnar structure manufacture method

By applying a sudden increase in stress through thermal shock, light irradiation, or voltage, the glass tube is efficiently removed, addressing the limitations of conventional glass wire drawing methods and providing an industrial advantage in producing columnar structures.

JP2025146274APending Publication Date: 2025-10-03CACO LTD +1
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024046955
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-03-22
Publication Date
2025-10-03

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional glass wire drawing methods are limited to corrosion-resistant materials and involve lengthy processes, environmental burdens, and high costs due to chemical dissolution of glass tubes, which is not suitable for all materials and generates hazardous waste.

Method used

A method involving a sudden increase in stress applied to the glass tube, such as thermal shock, light irradiation, or voltage application, to physically remove the glass tube without chemical treatment.

Benefits of technology

Enables efficient, quick, clean, and cost-effective production of columnar structures by physically removing glass tubes, overcoming the limitations of chemical dissolution methods.

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Abstract

To provide a method capable of manufacturing a columnar structure in an industrially advantageous manner.SOLUTION: In a first step S101, a columnar structure is formed by filling a material into a glass pipe. Then, in a second step S102, the glass pipe is removed by applying a sudden increase in stress. For example, applying the sudden stress increase to the glass pipe through application of thermal shocks to the glass pipe using a thermal conductivity and a thermal expansion coefficient difference with the columnar structure is effective for removing the glass pipe. By applying the sudden stress increase, the glass pipe can be destroyed to be removed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a columnar structure such as a wire. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a technology (glass wire drawing method) for producing a columnar structure such as a wire rod by placing a target substance in a glass tube to form a columnar structure made of the substance, and then heating and elongating the glass tube to reduce the diameter of the columnar structure together with the glass tube. In this technology, conventionally, the glass tube has been removed by chemical treatment using an acid or alkaline solution containing hydrofluoric acid, and a columnar structure with a reduced diameter is extracted (Non-Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] H. Chiriac et al., "Amorphous glass-covered magnetic wires for sensing applications", Sensors Actuators A: Physical, vol. 59, pp. 243-251, 1997. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned method cannot be applied when the material constituting the columnar structure is not corrosion-resistant, and there is a problem that the materials to which the glass wire drawing method can be applied are limited. Furthermore, even for corrosion-resistant materials, the method of chemically dissolving the material has the problem of lengthening the process time because it takes time to completely remove the glass. Furthermore, there are problems such as the generation of acidic / alkaline waste liquid, which places a heavy burden on the environment, and the increase in labor hours and costs due to the need to neutralize these waste liquids.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method by which a columnar structure can be produced industrially advantageously. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The method for manufacturing a columnar structure according to the present invention comprises a first step of filling a glass tube with a substance to form a columnar structure made of the substance, and a second step of physically removing the glass tube by applying a sudden increase in stress.

[0007] In one example of the above-described method for producing a columnar structure, the second step applies a sudden increase in stress to the glass tube by thermal shock.

[0008] In one example of the above-described method for producing a columnar structure, the second step involves irradiating the glass tube with light to cause a sudden increase in stress.

[0009] In one example of the method for producing the columnar structure, the glass tube is doped with a light absorbing material that absorbs light.

[0010] In one example of the method for producing the columnar structure, the glass tube contains a light absorbing material that absorbs light on the surface thereof.

[0011] In one configuration example of the above-described method for producing a columnar structure, the substance has electrical conductivity, and in the second step, a voltage is applied to the columnar structure to cause a sudden increase in stress in the glass tube.

[0012] In one example of the method for manufacturing a columnar structure, the columnar structure is a wire. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] As described above, according to the present invention, the glass tube is physically removed by applying a sudden increase in stress, and therefore a method for producing a columnar structure with industrial advantages can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for producing a columnar structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a photograph showing the glass tube used in the actual fabrication and the state after the glass tube has been filled with a substance and stretched. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A method for producing a columnar structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0016] First, in the first step S101, a substance is placed (filled) in a glass tube to form a columnar structure made of the placed substance. In this step, after the substance is placed in the glass tube, the glass tube can be heated and stretched to reduce the diameter of the glass tube and the columnar structure. The substance placed in the glass tube can be, for example, a solid or glass body. The substance placed in the glass tube can be, for example, a substance whose melting point is equal to or lower than the softening point of the glass material that makes up the glass tube. In the case of such a substance, it is possible to impart a sudden increase in stress to the glass tube.

[0017] The substance to be contained can be a heat-curable liquid or a light-curable liquid. When such a liquid is contained, the substance (liquid) can be heated and cured to a solid when it is contained in the glass tube or when it is stretched. Furthermore, the substance (liquid) can be irradiated with light when it is contained in the glass tube or when it is stretched, thereby curing it to a solid.

[0018] Next, in the second step S102, the glass tube is physically removed by applying a sudden increase in stress. For example, applying a thermal shock to the glass tube by utilizing the difference in thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient between the glass tube and the columnar structure is effective for removing the glass tube. The conditions for the thermal shock can be determined in advance by experiment, etc. By applying a sudden increase in stress, the glass tube can be broken and removed. The columnar structure can be a wire.

[0019] For example, in the second step S102, a sudden increase in stress can be caused by irradiating the glass tube with light. A known laser, such as a continuous wave or pulsed laser, can be used as the light source for the irradiated light. For example, a sudden increase in stress can be caused by irradiating the glass tube with a femtosecond laser or picosecond laser of a predetermined light intensity.

[0020] For example, by using a glass tube doped with a light-absorbing substance, a sudden increase in stress can be applied to the glass tube by irradiating it with light. Quartz glass, which is typically used as a material for glass tubes, does not have sufficient absorption for light with wavelengths from infrared to ultraviolet. In contrast, by constructing a glass tube from glass doped with iron or ytterbium, a sudden increase in stress can be applied to the glass tube by irradiating it with light of a wavelength absorbed by the added element or ion. The added element or ion can be added as long as the glass state can be maintained.

[0021] The light-absorbing material can be supplied to the glass tube from the material contained in the glass tube. For example, by selecting a material containing an element that has a stronger tendency to oxidize than the material composing the glass tube, it is possible to ionize the element and add it to the glass.

[0022] The glass tube may also contain a light-absorbing substance on its surface. The light-absorbing substance is contained on the surface of the glass tube before the second step. For example, the light-absorbing substance may be attached to or impregnated into the glass tube in advance. Alternatively, the light-absorbing substance may be contained in the glass tube after the substance is filled. It is sufficient that the light-absorbing substance is contained before the second step is carried out. In the second step, a sudden increase in stress can be applied to the glass tube by irradiating light onto the glass tube containing the light-absorbing substance.

[0023] Furthermore, if the substance contained in the glass tube is electrically conductive, a sudden increase in stress can be imparted to the glass tube by applying a voltage to the columnar structures in the second step. If the electrically conductive substance contained in the glass tube is continuous within the glass tube, thermal expansion can be caused by instantaneously applying a large current thereto, thereby imparting a sudden increase in stress to the glass, which has a relatively low thermal expansion coefficient. This application of a voltage to the columnar structures can be carried out in combination with the above-mentioned light irradiation.

[0024] [Example] The following will explain in more detail using examples.

[0025] In the first step, a 16 mm diameter glass tube was filled with an aluminum alloy. The tube was then heated above its softening point, and the aluminum ions from the filled aluminum alloy were impregnated as a light-absorbing material. The tube was then stretched to a diameter of approximately 1.5 mm, forming the filled material into a wire. The appearance of the elongated glass tube is shown in Figure 2(a).

[0026] In the second step, the glass tube doped with the light-absorbing material was irradiated with light to create a thermal shock, causing a sudden increase in stress and removing the glass tube. For example, light was irradiated onto the central region of the external appearance shown in Figure 2(a). This light irradiation immediately removed the glass tube, resulting in the state shown in Figure 2(b). Further light irradiation enabled the complete removal of the glass tube, as shown in the photograph in Figure 1(c).

[0027] As described above, according to the present invention, the glass tube is removed by applying a sudden increase in stress, and therefore, a method for producing a columnar structure with industrial advantages can be provided.

[0028] As a result of intensive research, the inventors have discovered that applying a sudden increase in stress to a glass tube can efficiently remove the glass tube. The inventors have discovered that this removal method allows glass to be removed by light irradiation without using a dissolving solution such as an acid or a base, and has the advantages of being quick, clean, resource-saving, space-saving, and cost-saving, and have arrived at the solution to the conventional problems in one fell swoop with the present invention.

[0029] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it is clear that many modifications and combinations can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the art within the technical concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. a first step of filling a glass tube with a substance to form a columnar structure made of the substance; a second step of physically removing the glass tube by applying a sudden increase in stress; A method for manufacturing a columnar structure comprising the steps of:

2. The method for producing a columnar structure according to claim 1, The second step is a method for producing a columnar structure in which a thermal shock is applied to the glass tube to cause a sudden increase in stress.

3. 3. The method for producing a columnar structure according to claim 2, The second step is a method for producing a columnar structure in which a sudden increase in stress is caused by irradiating the glass tube with light.

4. 4. The method for producing a columnar structure according to claim 3, The method for producing a columnar structure, wherein the glass tube is doped with a light-absorbing material that absorbs the light.

5. 4. The method for producing a columnar structure according to claim 3, The method for producing a columnar structure includes the glass tube containing a light-absorbing material that absorbs light on the surface thereof.

6. The method for producing a columnar structure according to claim 1, the material is electrically conductive; The second step is a method for manufacturing a columnar structure, in which a voltage is applied to the columnar structure to cause a sudden increase in stress in the glass tube.

7. The method for producing a columnar structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The method for producing a columnar structure, wherein the columnar structure is a wire.