Study on energy-saving manufacturing process of three-dimensional silica glass structure by photo-curing method

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K06876
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Metal making/Resorce production engineering
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Fujino Shigeru 九州大学, グローバルイノベーションセンター, 教授 (10304833)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: シリカガラス / 焼結 / 光硬化 / 省エネルギー製造プロセス / 成形加工

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Silica glass attracts considerable interest because of its excellent properties of low thermal expansion, chemical durability and mechanical strength, and high transmittance in the vacuum­ultraviolet to near-infrared region. We present a procedure for fabricating transparent silica glass that involves the sintering of green bodies prepared from a silica/polymer mesoporous composite. The composite was prepared by irradiating a liquid mixture of silica, acrylic monomers and a photo-initiator with LED light. Formability of the mesoporous composite was dependent on the pH of the SiO2 suspension, and chemical composition (weight ratio of silica and acrylic monomers). By sintering the composite in air at 1250°C, monolithic transparent silica glass was obtained with no cracks.

Free Research Field

材料工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

シリカガラスは光学的、機械的強度等の性質に優れているにも関わらず、特殊かつ大型な設備を用いて2000 ℃以上の高い温度で製造されることと、所望の形状に成形加工するには、酸水素ガスバーナー等2300℃と多量の熱エネルギーと複雑な加工技術が必要である事などの問題点を抱えている。本研究ではシリカガラスの製造プロセスの簡略化ならびに、より複雑な形状を容易に造形できる省エネルギー型透明シリカガラスの製造プロセスに寄与することができる。