LAS Glass-Ceramics

Glass ceramics are produced through controlled crystallization. Typically, a glass material is formed through a typical manufacturing process, and then the material is cooled and then reheated to force crystallization. During this process, nucleating additive agents are often added to the composition to improve control during the crystallization process. Due to this unique manufacturing process, glass ceramics offer outstanding properties that have made them especially useful materials for glass-to-metal sealing. Glass ceramics have the unique ability to exhibit key properties of both glasses and ceramics, offering several advantages for manufacturers.

Glass-ceramics are found in a wide range of applications, including cooktops, nosecones of high-performance aircrafts and missiles, honeycomb mounts for satellite mirrors, precision optics, X-ray telescopes, ring laser gyroscopes, fireplaces, vacuum environment feed-troughs, medical equipment, and construction materials that emulate natural stone.

Glass ceramics are manufactured in a variety of systems. Elan Technology utilizes the lithium-alumina-silicon (LAS) system to produce its glass ceramics. LAS glass ceramics offer several advantageous thermomechanical properties, including an adjustable coefficient of thermal expansion, high temperature resistance, improved chemical durability, and zero or very low open porosity. Discover the many advantages that glass ceramics can offer your manufacturing needs by contacting our engineers with your specific requirements.