Machinable Glass-Ceramic Sintering via Phyllosilicate Pre-Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for creating machinable glass-ceramic compositions require high temperatures and complex heating schedules, making them expensive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the sintering of phyllosilicate powders with glass sintering aids at lower temperatures (e.g., 450-950°C) to form machinable glass-ceramic structures, eliminating the need for in situ nucleating and crystallizing processes, and maintaining the electrical properties of the phyllosilicate materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional high temperature in situ crystal growth process is used, then machinable glass-ceramic structures are formed, but production cost increases and processing time extends
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-forming phyllosilicate powders with the desired sheet silicate crystal structure before sintering. This eliminates the need for in situ nucleating and crystallizing during the sintering process, allowing the use of lower temperatures (below 950°C, preferably below 900°C) and reducing production time while maintaining the machinability and electrical properties of the final glass-ceramic product
2Ease of manufacture
If in situ nucleating and crystallizing heating schedule is performed, then sheet silicate crystal structure is formed, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention simplifies the manufacturing process by performing the nucleating and crystallizing action in advance during powder preparation. The phyllosilicate powders are pre-formed with controlled crystal structures, so that during sintering only consolidation occurs without complex multi-stage heating schedules. This reduces process complexity while achieving the same structural outcomes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the nucleating and crystallizing steps from the sintering process itself. By preparing pre-formed phyllosilicate powders separately before mixing with glass frit, the complex crystal growth operations are removed from the main sintering cycle, leaving only a simple consolidation sintering step
3Use of energy by moving object
If high temperature processing is used, then glass-ceramic material is formed, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention reduces energy consumption by performing crystal structure formation in advance during powder preparation rather than during high-temperature sintering. The pre-formed phyllosilicate powders require minimal thermal energy for consolidation, enabling sintering at temperatures below 950°C and reducing overall energy consumption of the manufacturing process
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces production costs, maintains the machinability and electrical properties of the glass-ceramic materials, and allows for the formation of monolithic structures suitable for various electronic applications.
Implementation Method 1
sintering the mixture of the phyllosilicate powder and the glass component to sinter the phyllosilicate, thereby forming a sintered machinable glass-ceramic
Data Source
AI summary
A sintered machinable glass-ceramic is provided. The machinable glass-ceramic is formed by mixing phyllosilicate material having a sheet structure, with a glass fit and firing the mixture at relatively low temperatures to sinter the phyllosilicate, while maintaining the sheet-like morphology of the phyllosilicate and its associated cleaving properties. The sintered machinable glass-ceramic can be machined with conventional metal working tools and includes the electrical properties of the phyllosilicate. Producing the sintered machinable glass-ceramic does not require the relatively high-temperature bulk nucleation and crystallization needed to form sheet phyllosilicate phases in situ.