Patent Application
20250222429
Glass formulations and products comprising such glass formulations that are “carbon negative” (i.e., the glass formulations a capable of reacting with and sequestering more CO2 via weathering than the amount of CO2 emitted in the production of the glass formulations).
Enhanced weathering (also known as carbon or sequestration) is a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy whereby CO2 is removed from the atmosphere by binding reacting it with materials comprising alkaline earth elements such as calcium, barium, strontium, and/or magnesium. Enhanced weathering is being investigated in geochemical systems using mafic and ultramafic minerals.
Exposure of CO2 to water (e.g., rain, streams, lakes, oceans, anthropogenic sources, etc.), forms carbonic acid (carbonated water), which reacts with mafic materials at the microscopic level. Solid, harmless carbonates such as magnesite, limestone, and dolomite are produced as a result of this reaction. This process offers a permanent solid conversion (sequestration) of gaseous CO2 versus a temporary storage solution. The weathering process breaks down the silicate-containing materials as the reaction is destructive at the microscopic level.
A need exists for engineered materials and products that greatly increase the reaction rates and availability of these materials on a global scale.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of preparing a carbon-negative glass, the method comprising:
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a glass product consisting of an oxide glass having and a composition characterized as comprising:
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a glass product consisting of the carbon-negative glass prepared according to the method set forth in the above embodiment, wherein the glass product has a configuration selected from the group consisting of fibers having a cross-sectional distance perpendicular to an axis of fiber formation that is no greater than about 100 μm, particles having a largest cross-sectional distance that is no greater than about 500 μm, a filter, frit, a tile, a brick, a block, and a paver.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a ceramic product comprising a ceramic substrate and a fired glaze on at least a portion of the ceramic substrate, wherein a constituent of the glaze is an oxide glass having a composition characterized as comprising:
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a ceramic product comprising a ceramic substrate and a fired glaze on at least a portion of the ceramic substrate, wherein a constituent of the glaze is the carbon-negative glass prepared according to the method set forth in the above embodiment, and wherein the ceramic product has a configuration selected from the group consisting of tile, brick, and sanitary ware.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product, wherein the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product comprises a sintered/heat-treated mixture having an open porosity (determined by ASTM C830) that is in a range from about 15 vol % to about 50 vol %, wherein the sintered/heat-treated mixture comprises:
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a process for making the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product that comprises a sintered/heat-treated mixture, the process comprising:
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a process for sequestering atmospheric CO2, the process comprising dispersing onto or within land a glass product having a configuration selected from the group consisting of fibers having a cross-sectional distance perpendicular to an axis of fiber formation that is no greater than about 100 μm, particles having a largest cross-sectional distance that is no greater than about 500 μm, and a combination thereof, and wherein the glass product consists of an oxide glass having a composition characterized as comprising:
which exposes the dispersed glass product to CO2 captured in water to form carbonic acid, which reacts with the alkaline earth elements and the alkaline elements in the oxide glass to produce carbonates, thereby sequestering atmospheric CO2.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method preparing a carbon-negative glass, wherein “carbon negative” means the glass is capable of reacting with and sequestering more CO2 via weathering than the amount of CO2 emitted in the production of the glass. The glass has a composition characterized as comprising:
In one embodiment, the method may comprise selecting an oxide glass having a melting temperature not greater than about 1,200° C.
In one embodiment, the oxide glass composition is characterized as comprising:
In one embodiment, the oxide glass composition is characterized as comprising:
In certain embodiments, M is selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Ba, and combinations thereof.
In one embodiment, R is selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Li, and combinations thereof.
Additionally, the method comprises selecting low-carbon raw materials for the glass. For example, low-carbon raw materials comprise about 5 mol % or less of carbon at amounts suitable to form a batch that yields the oxide glass upon heating the batch to at least the melting temperature. Examples of such low-carbon raw materials include borax (Na2B4O7•10H2O), sodium silicate (Na2SiO3), sodium phosphate (Na3PO4), forsterite (Mg2SiO4), talc (Mg3Si4O10(OH)2), serpentite (Mg6Si4O10(OH)8), apatite, (Ca5(PO4)), diopside (MgCaSi2O6), boracite (Mg3B7O13Cl), wollastonite (CaSiO3), ultramafic basalts, fly ash, boiler ask, cement, soda lime glass, aqueous solutions, and combinations thereof.
The method further comprises heating the batch to at least the melting temperature to produce molten oxide glass and decreasing the temperature of the molten oxide glass to produce solid oxide glass thereby forming the carbon-negative glass. The batch may be melted using essentially any method of heating (e.g., gas or electricity). That said, the degree to which the glass may be carbon-negative may be increased by using renewable energy sources (e.g., electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, etc.).
In one embodiment, the oxide glass composition is characterized as comprising:
Such a selected oxide glass composition may, for example, be produced using talc and borax as the raw materials.
In one embodiment, the selected oxide glass composition is characterized as comprising:
Such a selected oxide composition may, for example, be produced using slag and sodium silicate as the raw materials.
In one embodiment, the selected oxide glass composition is characterized as comprising:
Such a selected oxide composition may, for example, be produced using ash and borax as the raw materials.
The method of preparing a carbon-negative glass may further comprise forming the molten oxide glass so that the carbon-negative glass has a configuration selected from the group consisting of one or more fibers, one or more particles, a filter, frit, a tile, a block, a brick, and a paver.
In fact, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a glass product consisting of an oxide glass, which need not be a carbon-negative glass. The oxide glass does, however, have a composition characterized as comprising:
Further, the glass product has a configuration selected from the group consisting of fibers having a cross-sectional distance perpendicular to an axis of fiber formation that is no greater than about 100 μm, particles having a largest cross-sectional distance that is no greater than about 500 μm, frit, a tile, a brick, a block, and a paver.
In one embodiment, the selected configuration is one or more fibers, wherein the formed fiber(s) of the carbon-negative glass have a cross-sectional distance perpendicular to an axis of fiber formation that is no greater than about 100 μm. In another such fiber configuration embodiment, the cross-sectional distance of the fiber(s) of the carbon-negative glass is no greater than about 10 μm. In yet another fiber configuration embodiment, the cross-sectional distance of the fiber(s) of the carbon-negative glass is in a range of about 1 μm to about 100 μm.
In one embodiment, the selected configuration is one or more particles, wherein the formed particle(s) of the carbon-negative glass have a largest cross-sectional distance that is no greater than about 500 μm. In another such particle configuration embodiment, the largest cross-sectional distance of the particle(s) of the carbon-negative glass is no greater than about 10 μm. In yet another particle configuration embodiment, the largest cross-sectional distance of the particle(s) of the carbon-negative glass is in a range of about 1 μm to about 200 μm.
In one embodiment, the aforementioned fiber and particle configurations of the oxide glass (or carbon-negative glass) are used to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide. In particular such an embodiment is a process for sequestering atmospheric CO2, that comprises dispersing onto or within land a glass product having a configuration selected from the group consisting of fibers having a cross-sectional distance perpendicular to an axis of fiber formation that is no greater than about 100 μm, particles having a largest cross-sectional distance that is no greater than about 100 μm, and a combination thereof, and wherein the glass product consists of an oxide glass having a composition characterized as comprising:
which exposes the dispersed glass product to CO2 dissolved in water to form carbonic acid, which reacts with the alkaline earth elements and the alkaline elements in the oxide glass to produce carbonates, thereby sequestering atmospheric CO2.
In one such embodiment the land is adjacent a body of water. In another such embodiment the land is farmland. Although the rate of dispersal may be essentially any amount that is acceptable, for example, in terms of visual appearance or texture, it is believed that such glass products may be dispersed at a rate in a range of about 10 to about 50 tonnes per hectare per year. Beerling et al., Potential for large-scale CO2 removal via enhanced rock weathering with croplands, Nature 583, 242-248 (2020).
Upon the glass being weathered (i.e., the formed carbonates separate from the remaining glass), the remaining glass composition may be separated and reused as cullet for new sequestering glass products.
In one embodiment, the invention is directed to ceramic product comprising a ceramic substrate and a fired glaze on at least a portion of the ceramic substrate, wherein a constituent of the glaze is an oxide glass having a composition characterized as comprising:
Exemplary configurations of such a ceramic product include tiles, bricks, and sanitary ware.
In one such ceramic product embodiment, the oxide glass is a carbon-negative glass such as that produced according to the above described method(s) of preparing a carbon-negative glass.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to CO2-sequestering architectural products (e.g., panels, tiles, bricks/pavers, etc.) that comprise a sintered/heat-treated mixture having an open porosity (determined by ASTM C830) that is in a range from about 15 vol % to about 50 vol %, wherein the sintered/heat-treated mixture comprises a glass product consisting of an oxide glass as described above, which may be a carbon-negative glass. In another embodiment, the CO2-sequestering architectural product consists of the sintered/heat-treated mixture. Such architectural products may be placed on or used to form a horizontal surface (e.g., a floor or walkway) or a vertical surface such as a wall cladding. Such products may also be used as roofing materials (flat or sloped). In addition to the glass product, the CO2-sequestering architectural products may comprise other materials rich in reactive minerals such as olivine (described in more detail below).
In general, the process involves creating a mixture of suitable ingredients at suitable relative amounts for the particular end use or application, forming the mixture in the desired type of product such as a tile, brick, paver, etc. (e.g., via extrusion or another appropriate technique), and heating the formed mixture to yield a sintered or heat-treated mixture that is a ceramic capable of CO2 sequestration. The mixture of ingredients typically comprises a binder that is lost in drying and/or heat-treating the formed mixture. Such binder include water and/or conventional organic binder compounds used to aid in mixing, forming, and to impart adequate “green” strength to the formed mixture.
Unlike conventional architectural or building products which are specifically designed for longevity, CO2 sequestration products of the present invention are designed to chemically react with their environments. The rate of deterioration depends on a variety of factors, including composition, particle size, surface area, porosity, etc.
Further, in certain embodiments, the CO2 sequestration architectural products of the present invention may be formulated and produced to optimize environmental degradation at the expense of structural properties. In fact, the CO2 sequestration architectural products of the present invention may be designed to be non-structural, nondurable, and weather-away as fast as possible. In such embodiments, mechanical strength and low water absorption need only be sufficient to maintain tile integrity during the life of product. Such CO2 sequestration architectural products will typically be formulated to have relatively high concentrations of reactive solids to maximize the CO2 reaction activity at the expense of longevity.
The purpose of this invention is to replace or substitute some ingredients in architectural products (e.g., panels, tiles, bricks/pavers, etc.) that provide no direct environmental benefit related to CO2. The ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural products of the present invention are believed, over their useful life, to have a “net negative” CO2 footprint even factoring in the CO2 produced as a byproduct of the manufacturing process, transportation, and installation.
Of particular relevance to the present invention, glass product of the present invention may be included in the sintered/heat-treated mixture that is included in the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product. As set forth above, the glass product consists of oxide glass having a composition characterized as comprising: SiO2 at an amount in a range of 0 mol % to about 60 mol %; B2O3 at an amount in a range of 0 mol % to about 60 mol %; MO at an amount in a range of about 20 mol % to about 50 mol %, wherein M is one or more alkaline earth elements; R2O at an amount in a range of about 5 mol % to about 50 mol %, wherein R is one or more alkaline elements; and P2O5 at an amount in a range of 0 mol % to about 60 mol %. This is likely to be considered advantageous because, in addition to being capable of weathering and also a carbon-negative glass, such glass compositions may function as a bridge between particulate in the mixture.
In certain embodiments, the oxide glass has a melting temperature that is not less than about 1,100° C. This is because it is often beneficial for the melting temperature of the oxide glass to not be significantly lower than the sintering/heat treatment temperature(s) needed for densification and microstructure development of the sintered/heat-treated mixture. Otherwise, depending upon the amount of such glass present in the mixture, if the sintering temperature is about the melting temperature of the glass or greater, the architecture product may deform during the sintering. Thus, in such embodiments, the oxide glass may, for example, have a melting temperature that is in a range of about 1,100° C. to about 1,200° C. Alternatively, the relative amount of the glass included in the mixture may be decreased to a point at which the deformation, if any, that may occur at the sintering temperature is acceptable.
In one embodiment, the glass product has a configuration selected from the group consisting of fibers having a cross-sectional distance perpendicular to an axis of fiber formation that is no greater than about 100 μm, particles having a largest cross-sectional distance that is no greater than about 200 μm, and a combination thereof. In such embodiments, the amount of the carbon sequestration glass product may be in a range of about 20 wt % to about 50 wt % of the mixture.
In another such embodiment, the carbon sequestration glass product is at amount that is in a range of about 30 wt % to about 40 wt % of the mixture.
The mixture may further comprise particles of one or more bridging materials selected from the group consisting of one or more clays, one or more feldspars, quartz, one or more soda lime glasses, one or more other glasses, and combinations thereof.
As described in more detail above, the glass of the present invention may function as a bridging material and as a weathering material. Generally, however, bridging materials such as cement, clays, feldspars, and quartz would not be considered weathering materials, they would be considered weather resistant.
In one embodiment, the relative total amount of the bridging materials (weathering and weather-resistant) is in a range from about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of the mixture for forming a desirable sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product. In another embodiment, the one or more bridging materials are at a total relative amount that is in a range from about 50 wt % to about 70 wt % of the mixture solids.
In one embodiment, the sintered/heat-treated mixture of the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product further comprises one or more non-reactive/weather-resistant materials at an amount in a range from about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of the mixture, wherein the one or more weather-resistant materials selected from the group consisting of cement, one or more clays, one or more feldspars, quartz, and combinations thereof.
In such an embodiment: the cement, if present, is at a total relative amount in a range of about 25 wt % to about 75% of the mixture; the one or more clays, if present, are at total relative amount in a range of about 25 wt % to about 75 wt % of the mixture; the one or more feldspars, if present, are at total a relative amount in a range of about 10 wt % to about 40 wt % of the mixture; and the quartz, if present, is at a relative amount in a range of about 10 wt % to about 40 wt % of the mixture.
In another such embodiment: the cement, if present, is at a total relative amount in a range of about 40 wt % to about 60% of the mixture; the one or more clays, if present, are at total relative amount in a range of about 40 wt % to about 60 wt % of the mixture; the one or more feldspars, if present, are at total a relative amount in a range of about 20 wt % to about 30 wt % of the mixture; and the quartz, if present, is at a relative amount in a range of about 20 wt % to about 30 wt % of the mixture.
In one embodiment, the one or more bridging materials is a combination of one or more clays and one or more feldspars. In such an embodiment, the combination of one or more clays and one or more feldspars has a relative amount of the one or more clays that is in a range from about 50 wt % to about 70 wt % of the combination and a relative amount of the one or more feldspars that is in a range from about 30 wt % to about 50 wt % of the combination.
Trace minerals may be added to the mixture prior to firing to achieve a desired color-body throughout the thickness of the panel.
Conventional ceramic tiles and panels are made of various raw materials such as clays, quartz, feldspar, and other trace minerals. A typical proportional mixture of these raw materials is: 25-75 wt % clays, 10-40 wt % feldspar and 10-40 wt % quartz. Another typical proportional mixture of these raw materials is: 40-60 wt % clays, 20-30 wt % feldspar, and 20-30 wt % quartz. Another formulation, in particular for porcelains, is about 50 wt % kaolin, about 25 wt % feldspar, and about 25 wt % quartz. Such tiles and panels are typically fired at temperatures from 1000 to 1500° C., with porcelains typically fired at higher temperatures and made with high quality ingredients.
The compositions of the present invention may also be used to produce bricks and pavers. However, bricks and pavers tend to be made using ingredients of lesser quality and cost compared to porcelain tiles.
The ceramic tiles may have a surface that is smooth or have little surface texture, but the surface need not be smooth. In certain embodiments, the surface is rough as possible in order to increase surface area and, therefore, offer increased reaction area.
Regular or irregular geometric patterns, random or repeated textures consisting of embossed or debased areas help increase surface area. Textures or patterns pressed into the green panels before firing may extend to the top surface, side edges and bottom surface to encourage water flow to all areas of the panel. This increased surface texture increases the CO2 removal reaction by exposing more glass to CO2.
Certain embodiments of the CO2 sequestration products have heavily textured surfaces to increase the area available for reaction with rainwater and provide a greater reduction of atmospheric CO2. In one such embodiment, the forming of the mixture comprises configuring the formed mixture so that the sintered/heat-treated mixture has at least one major surface configured to have an effective surface area that is in a range from 20% to about 100% greater than a nominal macroscale area of said at least one major surface. In another such embodiment, the forming of the mixture comprises configuring the formed mixture so that the sintered/heat-treated mixture has at least one major surface configured to have an effective surface area that is in a range from 30% to about 70% greater than a nominal macroscale area of said at least one major surface.
In addition to enhancing the surface area, the forming of the mixture comprises configuring the formed mixture so that the sintered/heat-treated mixture is configured for installation with ceramic panel fasteners, screws, or nails.
The sintering/heat treatment should be conducted at temperature(s) sufficiently high for densification and microstructure development of the sintered/heat-treated mixture but not so high as to degrade the weather materials' susceptibility to atmospheric carbon mineralization. But the process of producing a sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product from a mixture comprising weathering glasses should not be conducted at temperatures capable of devitrifying a significant portion of the weathering glass (e.g., a temperature in excess of the oxide glass crystallization temperature) into phases that are not susceptible to atmospheric carbon mineralization or weathering such as quartz. Further, the temperature should not be so high as to melt the oxide glass component of the mixture. In one embodiment, the mixture is heated to temperature(s) in a range from about 400° C. to about 800° C. for a duration in a range from about 1 minute to about 240 minutes. In such an embodiment, the oxide glass also functions to bind or bridge the crystalline reactive solid phases formed from the crystalline weathering materials during the sintering/heat-treatment (see below).
Alternatively, for embodiments in which non-reactive solid phases formed from the bridging materials such as clays and feldspars during the sintering/heat-treatment (see below) make up a significant portion of the mixture (e.g., at least about 50 wt % of the mixture solids), the sintering/heat-treatment temperature is typically increased to be in a range from about 900° C. to about 1,000° C. (or possibly as high as about 1,100° C. if the melting temperature of the oxide glass is greater such as about 1,200° C.) and the duration is in a range from about 4 hours to about 48 hours.
Upon being subjected to the heat treatment, the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architecture product comprises a sintered/heat-treated mixture that comprises an amount of a glass product in a range of about 20 wt % to about 50 wt % of the sintered/heat-treated mixture, wherein the glass product has a configuration selected from the group consisting of fibers having a cross-sectional distance perpendicular to an axis of fiber formation that is no greater than about 100 μm, particles having a largest cross-sectional distance that is no greater than about 500 μm, and a combination thereof, and wherein the glass product has a composition characterized as comprising: SiO2 at an amount in a range of 0 mol % to about 60 mol %; B2O3 at an amount in a range of 0 mol % to about 60 mol %; MO at an amount in a range of about 20 mol % to about 50 mol %, wherein M is one or more alkaline earth elements; R2O at an amount in a range of about 5 mol % to about 50 mol %, wherein R is one or more alkaline elements; and P2O5 at an amount in a range of 0 mol % to about 60 mol %.
Additionally, the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product comprising the sintered/heat-treated mixture has an open porosity (determined by ASTM C830) that is in a range from about 15 vol % to about 50 vol %. The porosity allows for interaction between air and/or water containing CO2 and reactive solids, including the aforementioned glass product. Although such porosity is considered desirable for CO2 sequestration, it is also desirable to select a porosity that does not prevent the product from being suitable for its intended use.
In one embodiment, the glass product is at amount in a range of about 30 wt % to about 40 wt % of the sintered/heat-treated mixture of the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product.
In one embodiment, the oxide glass of the sintered/heat-treated mixture is a carbon-negative glass.
In one embodiment, the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product consists of the sintered/heat-treated mixture.
The sintered/heat-treated mixture of a sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product may also comprise one or more non-reactive solid phases that may be characterized as one or more bridging phases that bridge the one or more crystalline reactive solid phases. These non-reactive solid phases generally result from heat treatment of the above-described weather-resistant/bridging materials. As such, in one embodiment, the one or more non-reactive solid phases comprise one or more bridging materials selected from the group consisting of one or more clays, one or more feldspars, quartz, one or more generally non-reactive glasses such as conventional soda lime glasses and other glasses such as fused silica or quartz glass, and borosilicate glass.
In one embodiment, the relative total amount of the non-reactive solid phases is in a range from about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of the sintered/heat-treated mixture of a sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product. In another embodiment, the one or more non-reactive solid phases is in a range from about 50 wt % to about 70 wt % of the sintered/heat-treated mixture of a sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product.
In one embodiment, the sintered/heat-treated mixture of the sacrificial ceramic CO2 sequestration architectural product further comprises one or more non-reactive solid phases comprising bridging materials at an amount in a range from about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % (or about 50 wt % to about 70 wt %) of the mixture, wherein the one or more weather-resistant crystalline bridging materials selected from the group consisting of cement, one or more clays, one or more feldspars, quartz, and combinations thereof.
In such an embodiment: the cement, if present, is at a total relative amount in a range of about 25 wt % to about 75% of the mixture; the one or more clays, if present, are at total relative amount in a range of about 25 wt % to about 75 wt % of the mixture; the one or more feldspars, if present, are at total a relative amount in a range of about 10 wt % to about 40 wt % of the mixture; and the quartz, if present, is at a relative amount in a range of about 10 wt % to about 40 wt % of the mixture.
In another such embodiment: the cement, if present, is at a total relative amount in a range of about 40 wt % to about 60 wt % of the mixture; the one or more clays, if present, are at total relative amount in a range of about 40 wt % to about 60 wt % of the mixture; the one or more feldspars, if present, are at total a relative amount in a range of about 20 wt % to about 30 wt % of the mixture; and the quartz, if present, is at a relative amount in a range of about 20 wt % to about 30 wt % of the mixture.
In one embodiment, the one or more bridging materials is a combination of one or more clays and one or more feldspars. In such an embodiment, the combination of one or more clays and one or more feldspars has a relative amount of the one or more clays that is in a range from about 50 wt % to about 70 wt % of the combination and a relative amount of the one or more feldspars that is in a range from about 30 wt % to about 50 wt % of the combination.
The products of the present invention may have a glazed surface made of a typical ceramic color engobe, primer, and/or surface coat applied prior to firing on one side of the panel to impart a color. This produces a panel that may be installed so the colored surface is visible to achieve a particular color of floor, wall, or roof, yet still remove CO2 by rainwater flowing on the other sides or surfaces of the panel.
In one embodiment, the glaze on a least a portion of at least one major surface of the sintered/heat-treated mixture comprises a carbon-sequestering/weather oxide glass (optionally a carbon-negative glass) of the present invention. Such an oxide glass may be a second oxide glass of a different composition to the oxide glass included in the body of the architectural product.
Conventional ceramic tiles are designed to be installed with mortar, adhesive, or other mastic on the bottom of the tile to hold it in place.
Additionally, to reduce water infiltrating under the surface of convention tiles and causing the system to fail, a waterproof grout is typically used in and along the joint between adjoining tiles.
In certain embodiment, tiles and panel of the present invention may be installed without mortar on the mounting side or grout between panels to increase water flow all over and under the panel. For example, such panels may be large patio paver-sized and installed on a relatively flat surface and secured with gravity. Alternatively, such panels may be hung on a wall or secured on a roof using nails, screws, or other fasteners.
CO2 sequestration panels may be applied over a waterproofing underlayment. The purpose of the underlayment is to protect the underlying surface from rainwater which is directed to the bottom surface of the panel by textures on the top and side edges of the panel.
Certain embodiment of CO2 sequestration panels may lack the structural integrity of a typical ceramic building product. Hook-type hangers at the top, side and bottom edges may be employed to hold such panels in place to enable easy installation and replacement as panels wear-out (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 9,926,704, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety).
Talc (Mg3Si4O10(OH)2) and borax (Na2B4O15(OH)2) were mixed in equimolar concentrations and melted at about 1000° C.
The glass composition was exposed to water in air for two weeks to simulate weathering.
Talc (Mg3Si4O10(OH)2) and borax (Na2B4O15(OH)2) were mixed at 60 wt %/40 wt % concentrations and melted at 1275° C.
Having illustrated and described the principles of the present invention, it should be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles.
Although the materials and methods of this invention have been described in terms of various embodiments and illustrative examples, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations can be applied to the materials and methods described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 63/619,428, filed on Jan. 10, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63619428 | Jan 2024 | US |
