Glass Compositions and Fibers Made Therefrom

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provides fiberizable glass compositions formed from batch compositions comprising amounts of one or more glassy minerals, including perlite and/or pumice.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A glass composition formed from a batch composition, the batch composition comprising:
 at least 10 weight percent of a glassy mineral, the glassy mineral comprising a combination of SiO 2  and Al 2 O 3  in an amount of at least 80 weight percent;   at least 5 weight percent of a sodium source.   
     
     
         2 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 10 weight percent of a source of both silicon and aluminum. 
     
     
         3 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , wherein the batch composition comprises at 10 least weight percent of a source of silicon. 
     
     
         4 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 10 weight percent of a source of aluminum. 
     
     
         5 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 25 weight percent of the glassy mineral. 
     
     
         6 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 40 weight percent of the glassy mineral. 
     
     
         7 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 10 weight percent of the sodium source. 
     
     
         8 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , wherein the glassy mineral comprises perlite, pumice or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A glass fiber formed from a batch composition, the batch composition comprising:
 at least 10 weight percent of a glassy mineral, the glassy mineral comprising a combination of SiO 2  and Al 2 O 3  in an amount of at least 80 weight percent; and   at least 5 weight percent of a sodium source.   
     
     
         10 . The glass fiber of  claim 9 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 10 weight percent of a source of both silicon and aluminum. 
     
     
         11 . The glass fiber of  claim 9 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 10 weight percent of a source of silicon. 
     
     
         12 . The glass fiber of  claim 9 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 10 weight percent of a source of aluminum. 
     
     
         13 . The glass fiber of  claim 9 , wherein the batch composition comprises at least 25 weight percent of the glassy mineral. 
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The glass fiber of  claim 9 , wherein the glassy mineral comprises perlite, pumice or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The glass composition of  claim 1 , wherein the glass composition comprises:
 53-64 weight percent SiO 2 ;   8-12 weight percent Al 2 O 3 ;   8.5-18 weight percent alkali oxide component (R 2 O); and   a metal oxide (RO) component,   wherein the metal oxide component is present in an amount to provide a ratio R 2 O/RO ranging from about 0.15 to about 1.5.   
     
     
         18 . The glass composition of  claim 17 , wherein the RO component is present in an amount ranging from 7 weight percent to 31 weight percent. 
     
     
         19 . The glass composition of  claim 17 , wherein the RO component comprises a mixture of Cao and MgO. 
     
     
         20 . The glass composition of  claim 17 , wherein the RO component comprises CaO in an amount ranging from 7 to 26 weight percent. 
     
     
         21 . The glass composition of  claim 17 , wherein the RO component comprises MgO in an amount up to 5 weight percent. 
     
     
         22 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method of producing a glass fiber comprising:
 providing a batch composition comprising at least 10 weight percent of a glassy mineral and at least 5 weight percent of a sodium source, the glassy mineral comprising a combination of SiO 2  and Al 2 O 3  in an amount of at least 80 weight percent;   heating the batch composition to form a melt of the glass composition;   extruding the molten glass through a bushing to form a glass fiber.   
     
     
         28 - 32 . (canceled)