Tempered and colorless antimicrobial soda lime glass and methods of making and using same

Abstract

Described herein are various antimicrobial soda lime glass articles that have improved resistance to discoloration when exposed to harsh conditions, including manufacturing conditions. The improved antimicrobial glass articles described herein generally include a SLG substrate that has a thickness, t; a compressive stress layer of about 0.15*t or greater; and an antimicrobial agent-containing region having an antimicrobial agent and a thickness less than the thickness of the compressive stress layer. Roughly 2 to 20 microns of the primary surfaces of the glass substrate can be removed prior to development of the compressive stress and antimicrobial agent-containing region. In some aspects, prior-annealed and tempered, or prior-annealed, SLG is employed as the substrate. In some aspects, the substrate includes tin at one surface. The improved SLG substrates experience substantially no discoloration when exposed to harsh conditions. Methods of making and using the glass articles are also described.