Moldable articles, method of making same and method of molding

Abstract

A moldable article, including at least a container made of a barrier material, the container providing an interior space within which a plurality of glass particles are contained. The glass has a glass transition temperature and a crystallization onset temperature, the difference between the glass transition temperature and the crystallization onset temperature is at least about 5° K., and the glass is composed of at least two metal oxides, from 0 to less than 20% by weight SiO 2 , from 0 to less than 20% by weight B 2 O 3 , and from 0 to less than 40% by weight P 2 O 5 . The moldable article protects the glass particles by keeping them clean and moisture free prior to a molding operation. A method of making a moldable article includes: removing entrapped moisture from a plurality of glass particles, placing glass particles in a receptacle, and sealing the receptacle to form the article. The moldable article may be placed in a mold and, during the molding process, the barrier material essentially burns off while the glass particles coalesce into a molded article.

1 . A moldable article, comprising:
 A first container comprising a first barrier, the first barrier comprised of a first material, and an interior space within the first barrier;   A plurality of first glass particles contained within the interior space and comprising a first glass, the plurality of first glass particles being moldable at a first molding temperature, the first glass having a first glass transition temperature and a first crystallization onset temperature, the difference between the first glass transition temperature and the first crystallization onset temperature being at least about 5° K., the first glass having a composition comprising at least two metal oxides, from 0 to less than 20% by weight SiO 2 , from 0 to less than 20% by weight B 2 O 3 , and from 0 to less than 40% by weight P 2 O 5 ; and   Wherein, the first material has a first decomposition temperature less than the first molding temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the first glass particles comprise microparticles. 
     
     
         3 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the first material comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The article according to  claim 3  wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyamide, poly methyl methacrylate, polyisobutylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene carbonate, polypropylene carbonate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyphenylene oxide, polystyrene aromatic polyesters, and combinations of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         5 . The article according to  claim 4  wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 66 and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The article according to  claim 4  wherein the polyethylene is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene and combinations of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         7 . The article according to  claim 4  wherein the polyethylene is low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         8 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the first material is flexible. 
     
     
         9 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the first material is rigid. 
     
     
         10 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the first material is paper. 
     
     
         11 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the interior space is substantially free of water vapor. 
     
     
         12 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the interior space has an atmosphere comprising an inert gas selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, krypton, argon, xenon, nitrogen and combinations of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         13 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the interior space is divided into at least a first interior space and a second interior space with the plurality of first glass particles contained within the first interior space and a plurality of second glass particles contained within the second interior space, the second glass particles comprising a second glass having a composition different than the composition of the first glass. 
     
     
         14 . The article according to  claim 13  wherein the second glass particles comprise microparticles, the second glass having a second glass transition temperature and a second crystallization onset temperature, the difference between the second glass transition temperature and the second crystallization onset temperature is at least about 5° K., the second glass comprising at least two metal oxides, from 0 to less than 20% by weight SiO 2 , from 0 to less than 20% by weight B 2 O 3 , and from 0 to less than 40% by weight P 2 O 5 . 
     
     
         15 . The article according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 A second container comprising a second barrier, the second barrier comprised of a second material, and a second interior space within the second barrier, the second container being wholly within the interior space of the first container; 
 A plurality of second glass particles contained within the second interior space so that the plurality of second glass particles and the plurality of first glass particles are separated from one another, the plurality of second glass particles comprising a second glass, the plurality of second glass particles being moldable at a second molding temperature. 
 
     
     
         16 . The article according to  claim 15  wherein the second glass has a second glass transition temperature and a second crystallization onset temperature, the difference between the second glass transition temperature and the second crystallization onset temperature is at least about 5° K, the second glass having a composition different than the composition of the first glass and comprising at least two metal oxides, from 0 to less than 20% by weight SiO 2 , from 0 to less than 20% by weight B 2 O 3 , and from 0 to less than 40% by weight P 2 O 5 . 
     
     
         17 . The article according to  claim 15  wherein the second material has a second decomposition temperature less than the second molding temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The article according to  claim 15  wherein the second material is the same as the first material. 
     
     
         19 . The article according to  claim 1  wherein the first molding temperature is about 300° C. or greater. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a moldable article, the method comprising:
 Placing a plurality of first glass particles in a first receptacle, the plurality of first glass particles being moldable at a first molding temperature, the first glass having a first glass transition temperature and a first crystallization onset temperature, the difference between the first glass transition temperature and the first crystallization onset temperature being at least about 5° K., the first glass having a composition comprising at least two metal oxides;   Removing entrapped moisture from the first glass particles; and   Sealing the first receptacle to form a first container comprising a first barrier, the first barrier defining an interior space, the plurality of first microparticles occupying at least a portion of the interior space, wherein the interior space is substantially free of water, and wherein the first barrier comprises a first material having a first decomposition temperature lower than the first molding temperature.   
     
     
         21 - 39 . (canceled)