The Use of Magnesium Oxide as a Viscosity Modifier for Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Glass

The Use of Magnesium Oxide as a Viscosity Modifier for Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Glass

Modern products such as mobile phones, tablets, computer monitors and televisions have created a demand for glass that is ultrathin, but yet of higher strength than traditional glass affords. Glass can be strengthened thermally or chemically. The chemical strengthening of glass arose in the 1960’s. Chemical strengthening involves the process of potassium-for-sodium ion exchange, creating a layer of higher molecular compression on the glass’s surface. The result is a three to four times increase of its strength.

The production technique of fusion draw is used, where thinner glass can be made with faster drawing of the glass material. To facilitate the fusion draw process, the glass composition components, including oxides such as MgO, were altered to raise the viscosity of the glass melt to enable thinner glass, quicker ion exchange, and the higher compressive strength required.

In order to not introduce any unwanted chemical content into the glass formulation, MagChem^®P98 G is specially processed to remove trace metals such as iron metal and iron oxide for higher magnesium oxide purity.