METHOD OF STRENGTHENING GLASS PLATE

• US 20110056244A1
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Vacuum Coating Technologies Co., Ltd., Avct Optical Electronic Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Applied Vacuum Coating Technologies Co., Ltd., Avct Optical Electronic Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Cheng, Ching-Hsiu, Huang, Chiao-Ning, Wang, Fu-Jen, Lee, I-Wen, Chu, Tzu-Wen, Chou, Shih-Liang, Weng, Chien-Min
• Granted Patent: US 8,245,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 65/30.14
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 21/002 to perform ion-exchange between alkali ions C03C21/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/006 by plasma or corona discharge

Abstract

A method of strengthening glass plate is provided. A plasma treating process is performed on a glass plate so that a surface pore variation of the glass plate after the plasma treating process is reduced relative to the surface pore variation of the glass plate before the plasma treating process, wherein the surface pore variation is a variation degree of surface pores in different unit areas of the glass plate. In the mean time, a melted network crosslinking structure is formed on the surface of the glass plate. Based on the above-mentioned mechanisms, the glass plate is strengthened. The plasma treating process is conducive to strengthen the glass plate whether the plasma treating process is performed before or after the conventional chemical strengthening process.

Claims

1. A method of strengthening glass plate, the method comprising:

performing a plasma treating process on a glass plate so that a surface pore variation of the glass plate after the plasma treating process is reduced relative to the surface pore variation of the glass plate before the plasma treating process, wherein the surface pore variation is a variation degree of surface pores in different unit areas of the glass plate; and

performing a chemical strengthening process on the glass plate to form a strengthened thin layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a surface of the glass plate has a network crosslinking structure after performing the plasma treating process to enhance strength of the glass plate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma treating process is performed under a low pressure lower than 10 mtorr.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the low pressure is 0.5 mtorr to 3 mtorr.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a plasma gas of the plasma treating process comprises air, Ar gas, N₂ gas, He gas, O₂ gas, H₂ gas, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a flow rate of the plasma gas is substantially 10 sccm to 200 sccm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a power of the plasma treating process is substantially 500 W to 2,000 W.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the glass plate is substantially 0.2 mm to 5.0 mm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method of performing the chemical strengthening process comprises submerging the glass plate in a chemical solution under a process temperature.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the process temperature is substantially 300°

C. to 500°

C.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the chemical solution comprises potassium nitrate, or a mixed chemical mainly consisting of potassium nitrate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a material of the glass plate comprises soda-lime glass, boro-silicate glass, or alumo-silicate glass.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the strengthened thin layer is an ion exchanged layer, wherein a thickness of the strengthened thin layer is substantially 5 μ

m to 100 μ

m.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a post-plasma treating process after the chemical strengthening process, wherein the post-plasma treating process is performed under the same conditions as the plasma treating process.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein both surfaces of the glass plate are performed by the plasma treating process and the chemical strengthening process, and the method further comprises performing a post-plasma treating process on the both surfaces of the glass plate after the chemical strengthening process.