Methods for producing strengthened and durable glass containers

• US 10,065,884 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Bookbinder, Dana Craig, Fiacco, Richard Michael, Gross, Timothy Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Franklin, Jodi Cohen
• Application Number:
  US14/949,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20160145150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/05 for collecting, storing or administering blood, plasma or medical fluids multiple bags systems for separating or storing blood components A61M1/0209; Infusion or perfusion containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1468 Containers characterised by specific material properties
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/11 Reshaping by drawing without blowing, in combination with separating, e.g. for making ampoules
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 15/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by etching etching or surface-brightening compositions, in general C09K13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 15/02 for making a smooth surface
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/005 Coating the outside
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/30 with silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/32 with synthetic or natural resins C03C17/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 21/002 to perform ion-exchange between alkali ions C03C21/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/70 Properties of coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/00 Other surface treatment of glass not in the form of fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/0075 Cleaning of glass specially adapted to plate glass B08B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 4/20 for chemical resistant glass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/57 Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates

Abstract

A method of forming a glass container including forming a glass container having a sidewall at least partially enclosing an interior volume, at least a portion of an interior surface of the sidewall having an interior surface layer; and contacting the glass container with a substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium to remove a thin layer of the interior surface layer having a thickness of from about 100 nm to about 1.0 μm from the interior surface of the sidewall. The interior surface is resistant to delamination. Before contacting the glass container with the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium, the exterior surface of the sidewall comprises strength-limiting surface flaws having a first shape, and after the contacting the exterior surface of the sidewall with the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium, the strength-limiting surface flaws have a second shape.

Claims

1. A method of forming a glass container, the method comprising:

forming a glass container comprising a sidewall at least partially enclosing an interior volume, at least a portion of an interior surface of the sidewall having an interior surface layer, and the interior surface of the sidewall having a delamination factor of greater than 10; and

contacting the glass container with a substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium to remove a thin layer of the interior surface layer having a thickness of from about 100 nm to about 1.0 μ

m from the interior surface of the sidewall, wherein

the interior surface of the sidewall has a delamination factor of less than or equal to 10 after the thin layer of the interior surface layer is removed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the glass container has a delamination factor of less than or equal to 6 after the thin layer of the interior surface layer is removed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thin layer of the interior surface layer that is removed has a thickness of from about 100 nm to about 750 nm.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium comprises about 0.001 weight percent to about 0.15 weight percent fluoride ions.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium is a substantially fluoride-free aqueous acidic treating medium comprising a member selected from the group consisting of HCl, HBr, HNO₃, H₂SO₄, H₂SO₃, H₃PO₄, H₃PO₂, HOAc, citric acid, tartaric acid, ascorbic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, methanesulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid, a mixture thereof, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing acids.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the substantially fluoride-free aqueous acidic treating medium comprises a member selected from the group consisting of HCl, HNO₃, H₂SO₄, and H₃PO₄.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the substantially fluoride-free aqueous acidic treating medium has a pH of less than or equal to about 3.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium comprises about 0.001 weight percent to about 0.015 weight percent fluoride ions.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the glass container is formed from a Type I, Class A or a Type I, Class B glass according to ASTM Standard E438-92.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the glass container is formed from a borosilicate glass.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising contacting an exterior surface of the sidewall with the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, before the exterior surface of the sidewall is contacted with the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium, the exterior surface of the sidewall comprises strength-limiting surface flaws having a first shape, and

after the contacting the exterior surface of the sidewall with the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium, the strength-limiting surface flaws have a second shape.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second shape comprises blunted crack tips.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the glass container is an ion-exchange-strengthened glass container comprising a surface compressive stress layer on at least the exterior surface of the sidewall.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the exterior surface of the sidewall has a compressive stress of greater than or equal to about 250 MPa.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein a level of surface compression is reduced by an amount of from about 0.1% to about 4% by contacting the exterior surface of the sidewall with the substantially fluoride-free aqueous treating medium.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying a low-friction coating on at least the exterior surface of the sidewall.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the low-friction coating is thermally stable.