Fabrication and Characterization of Colorant-Doped Glass Produced with Local Sand of Nong Phok Site

Abstract

It is well-known that silica sand is a special type of quartz sand that is suitable for glass fabrication due to its high silica content and low content of iron oxide. In this work, chemical analysis has been carried out on a sand sample from the Nong Phok site, Roi Et province, northeastern Thailand. The geological resources show that this site possesses a surface-to-near surface sand deposit. The grain of fine white sand consists of clear crystals. The grain shape is mainly angular-to-round. Chemical analysis shows that the sand contains more than 99 wt% silica and small amounts of Al, Ca, Ti, and Zr which is in agreement with international standards for glass production. The sand has been used as raw material for the fabrication of soda-lime, lead crystal, and lead-free high refractive index glasses. The colorless and various colored glass products have been satisfactorily used in domestic art and glass manufacturers which promotes local employment and economics.