Corning Incorporated

Lisa E Johnston

Larry G Mann

J Mario Quintal

This method is directed at a method for making selectively sculptured lithium silicate crystal-containing glass articles. A photonucleable, glass body is selectively exposed to short wave radiation and then heat treated to cause the development of crystals in those areas of the glass body which had been exposed to shortwave radiation. Those crystal-containing areas are then removed by acid etching and the resulting sculptured glass articles are thereafter exposed to short wave radiation and subsequently heat treated to obtain a degree of crystallization. The inventive method further comprises an improvement step of fabricating glass articles that result in crystal-containing glass articles with smaller intermediate dimensions than the desired final dimensions and subjecting the crystal-containing glass articles to an ion exchange process which exchanges potassium ions for sodium and/or lithium ions at a temperature of about at least 500.degree. C. for a time sufficient to cause the crystal-containing glass article to grow to the desired final dimension.

Growing community of inventors

Baldwinsville, NY, United States of America

Lisa E Johnston