Jadeite and its production

US6908674B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• DIAMOND INNOVATIONS, INC. · US

Inventors

• Suresh Vagarali · Columbus, US
• Thomas R. Anthony · Schenectady, US
• John Casey · Dublin, IE
• Robert Charles DeVries · Burnt Hills, US
• Stephen Dole · Westerville, US
• John W. Lucek · Worcester, US
• Alan Cameron Smith · Dublin, IE
• Biju Varghese · Worthington, US
• Steven W. Webb · Worthington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 5, 2001
• Grant date: Jun 21, 2005
• Expiry date: Jun 21, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/2996
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A jadeite material has a thickness in excess of about 1.0 mm and CIELAB indices of L*>42, a*<−6, and b*>+6. The grain size of the jadeite material is less than about 30 microns and is an equiaxed grain structure. The jadeite material has an optical transmission peak between 500 and 565 nm with an I/IO optical transmission ratio of over 40%. The first step in making the jadeite material is to wrap a glass block, convertible by HP/HT into jadeite and having a nominal composition of NaAlSi2O6, with a graphite or refractive metal sheet. The wrapped glass block is placed in an HP/HT apparatus, rapidly heated, and subjected therein to a pressure in excess of about 3 GPa and a temperature in excess of about 1000° C. for a time adequate to convert the glass block into jadeite. The jadeite material then is cooled and the pressure subsequently released.