Al203-Si02 Stones In Glass: A Study Of Dissolution Processes

In the manufacture of commercial glass, different types of "inhomogeneities" can form during the melting and cooling phase. For obvious commercial and economic reasons, the presence of such defects needs to be minimised. Compact and partly crystalline inclusions (stones) compromise the visual quality of the end product and the mechanical performance of the glassware. A common example of these defects are stones containing Al2O3. In soda-lime-silica and mixed alkali-lime-silica commercial glass production these defects can have different origins. Laboratory tests have been carried out demonstrating how different glass compositions interact with aluminous materials and influence the dissolution process.