Gaseous process for hydrating and extruding glass

Claim 1

A process for combining hydrating and extruding Na 2 O and/or K 2 O-SiO 2 glass materials which consists of the steps: a. forming anhydrous glass bodies having thickness dimensions not exceeding about 15 mm. and consisting essentially, in mole percent on the oxide basis, of about 3-25% Na 2 O and/or K 2 O and 50-95% SiO 2 , the sum of those components constituting at least 55% of the total composition; b. placing said anhydrous glass bodies within a chamber capable of withstanding a gaseous H 2 O-containing environment at elevated temperatures and pressures and having at least one discharge orifice; c. contacting said anhydrous glass bodies within said chamber with a gaseous H 2 O-containing environment having a relative humidity of at least 5% at a temperature greater than 100° C. for a time and at a steam pressure sufficient I. to hydrate at least a surface portion on said glass bodies to thereby cause an amount of water to be absorbed therein effective to impart thermoplastic properties thereto and cause said hydrated glass bodies to coalesce together; and thereafter Ii. to extrude said hydrated coalesced glass under steam pressure through said discharge orifice in the form of a solid hydrated or a foamed hydrated glass body exhibiting thermoplastic properties.