Glass compositions

Abstract

Disclosed are glass compositions and glass fibers formed from certain embodiments of the disclosed glass compositions. Certain embodiments of the glass compositions include, among other components, bismuth oxide. Certain embodiments of the glass composition include about 0.5-30% bismuth oxide of the composition by weight and silica oxide at about 54-70% of the composition by weight. Embodiments of the glass compositions may also include other components. For example, zinc oxide can make up about 0.01-5% of the composition by weight.

1 . A glass composition comprising about 0.5-30 wt % bismuth oxide, about 0.01-5 wt % zinc oxide, about 54-70 wt % silica, and less than about 5 wt % cobalt oxide.  
   
   
       2 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising about 1-2 wt % bismuth oxide.  
   
   
       3 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising about 9-15 wt % bismuth oxide.  
   
   
       4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises less than about 0.1 wt % CoO, ZrO 2  or TiO 2 .  
   
   
       5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fraction (wt %) of bismuth oxide and zinc oxide in relation to silica is about 0.059 to about 0.29.  
   
   
       6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the glass composition has a softening point of less than about 703° C.  
   
   
       7 . A glass composition comprising about 1-15 wt % bismuth oxide, about 54-70 wt % silica, and less than about 25 wt % sodium oxide.  
   
   
       8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the composition comprises less than about 0.1 wt % CoO, ZrO 2  or TiO 2 .  
   
   
       9 . The composition of  claim 7 , comprising about 1-2 wt % bismuth oxide.  
   
   
       10 . The composition of  claim 7 , comprising about 9-15 wt % bismuth oxide.  
   
   
       11 . The composition of  claim 7 , further comprising  
     
       
         
               
               
             
                   
                   
               
                   
                   
               
                   
                 Weight Percent (about) 
               
                   
                   
               
                   
               
               
               
               
             
                   
                 Al 2 O 3   
                 1-5 wt % 
               
                   
                 CaO 
                 3-7 wt % 
               
                   
                 MgO 
                 1-5 wt % 
               
                   
                 B 2 O 3   
                 4-9 wt % 
               
                   
                 Na 2 O 
                 9-20 wt %  
               
                   
                   
               
                   
                   
               
           
              
              
              
              
             
             
              
             
          
           
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
   
   
       12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the glass composition has a softening point of less than about 703° C.  
   
   
       13 . A substantially non-crystalline glass fiber comprising about 0.5-30 wt % bismuth oxide and about 54-70 wt % silica, and equal to or less than about 20 wt % sodium oxide.  
   
   
       14 . The glass fiber of  claim 13 , comprising about 1-15 wt % bismuth oxide.  
   
   
       15 . The glass fiber of  claim 14 , further comprising about 0.1 to about 5 wt % zinc oxide.  
   
   
       16 . The glass fiber of  claim 13 , wherein the fraction (wt %) of bismuth oxide and zinc oxide in relation to silica is about 0.059 to about 0.29.  
   
   
       17 . The glass fiber of  claim 13 , having a density of about 2.5 to about 2.85.  
   
   
       18 . The glass fiber of  claim 13 , wherein the elemental leach rate of the glass fiber is about 2.6-4.5 (wt %) over about 3 hours in a solution of boiling H 2 SO 4  acid having a specific gravity of about 1.265.  
   
   
       19 . The glass fiber of  claim 13 , wherein the elemental leach rate of the glass fiber is about 10.27 to about 16.34 (wt %) over about 3 hours in a 125° F. solution of 30% KOH.  
   
   
       20 . The glass fiber of  claim 13 , having a Kdis of less than about 150 ng/cm 2 h.  
   
   
       21 . A glass composition comprising about 1-15 wt % bismuth oxide, about 54-70 wt % silica, and less than about 20 wt % sodium oxide.  
   
   
       22 . A glass composition comprising about 0.5-30 wt % bismuth oxide, about 0.01-5 wt % zinc oxide, about 54-70 wt % silica, and about 9-20 wt % sodium oxide.  
   
   
       23 . A glass composition comprising about 1-15 wt % bismuth oxide, about 54-70 wt % silica, and less than about 25 wt % sodium oxide, the composition being less than about 1 wt % in the crystalline phase.  
   
   
       24 . A substantially non-crystalline structured glass composition comprising about 1-15 wt % bismuth oxide, about 54-70 wt % silica, greater than about 0.01 wt % zinc oxide.  
   
   
       25 . A glass composition comprising about 0.5-30 wt % bismuth oxide, about 0.01-5 wt % zinc oxide, about 54-70 wt % silica, and a weight percent ratio of cobalt oxide to bismuth oxide of less than about 10.  
   
   
       26 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , having less than about 0.1 wt % cobalt oxide.  
   
   
       27 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , having less than about 1 wt % cobalt oxide.  
   
   
       28 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , a weight percent ratio of cobalt oxide to bismuth oxide of less than about 1.  
   
   
       29 . A glass composition comprising about 1-15 wt % bismuth oxide, about 54-70 wt % silica, less than about 25 wt % sodium oxide, and a weight percent ratio of cobalt oxide to bismuth oxide of less than about 10.  
   
   
       30 . A glass fiber comprising about 0.5-30 wt % bismuth oxide and about 54-70 wt % silica, and from about 3-7 wt % calcium oxide.