Vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit with metallic peripheral edge seal and/or methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10683695-B2
Application number	US-201816023017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

Certain example embodiments relate to vacuum insulating glass units having edge seals formed in connection with solder alloys that, when reactively reflowed, wet metallic coatings pre-coated on the glass substrates' perimeters, and/or associated methods. The alloys may be based on materials that form seals at temperatures that will not de-temper glass and/or decompose a laminate, and/or remain hermetic and lack porous structures in their bulks. Example alloys may be based on inter-metallics of Sn and one or more materials selected from post-transition metals or metalloids; Zintl anions (e.g., In, Bi, etc.) from Group 13, 14, 15, or 16; and transition metals (e.g., Cu, Ag, Ni, etc.); and excludes Pb. Thin film coatings in certain example embodiments work with the solder material to form robust and durable hermetic interfaces. Because low temperatures are used, certain example embodiments can use compliant and visco-elastic spacer technology based on lamellar structures and/or the like.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, comprising:
first and second substantially parallel spaced apart substrates, at least one of the first and second substrates being a heat treated glass substrate;
a plurality of spacers provided between the first and second substrates; and
an edge seal comprising an alloy material including Sn and at least one other material selected from the group consisting of post-transition metals or metalloids; Zintl anions from group 13, 14, 15, or 16; and transition metals and, on at least one side thereof and in order moving away from the alloy material at least one inter-metallic (IMC) layer, a silver-inclusive layer, a nickel-inclusive layer, and a layer comprising silicon nitride,
wherein the silver-inclusive layer and the nickel-inclusive layer (a) individually have an adhesion or bond strength of at least 10 MPa, an RMS roughness (Ra) of less than 2 microns, and a porosity of less than 2%, and (b) collectively have an adhesion or bond strength of at least 20 MPa, an RMS roughness (Ra) of less than 2 microns, and a porosity of less than 2%.

2. The VIG unit of claim 1 , wherein the nickel-inclusive layer includes Ni and Cr.

3. The VIG unit of claim 1 , wherein the alloy material comprises Sn, Ag, and Cu.

4. The VIG unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one substrate that is heat treated is thermally tempered.

5. The VIG unit of claim 4 , wherein each substrate that is thermally tempered has a temper strength that is diminished by no more than 10% as a result of the silver-inclusive and nickel-inclusive layers being deposited and formation of the edge seal.

Assignees

• Guardian Glass Llc

Inventors

• Veerasamy Vijayen S
• Tucker Patricia
• Bracamonte Martin D

Classifications

• Y02B80/22

  Glazing, e.g. vaccum glazing · CPC title

• Y02A30/249

  Glazing, e.g. vacuum glazing · CPC title

• E06B3/6775 Primary

  Evacuating or filling the gap during assembly · CPC title

• E06B3/67334

  by soldering; Preparing the panes therefor · CPC title

• E06B3/6612

  Evacuated glazing units · CPC title