Fyndium
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Larger glass ampoul containers?
I was wondering how it could be possible to make larger glass containers that are ampoulized by their neck? Like in size of 500mL or larger?
Ordinary glass bottles are made of tempered or otherwise treated glass that shatters upon heating, but are there commercially available glass vessels
that are made of ordinary soda lime glass that could be hot-worked?
In other topic regarding this matter someone mentioned annealing bottles by very slow heating, but this apparently requires long, careful temperature
control with temperatures higher than achievable with an ordinary oven?
EDIT: On the other hand, some videos on YT regard something else:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwZVz82z6ww
This indicates that it would be trivial to shape ordinary glass bottles with a propane torch?
Purchasing glass tube with larger diameter is an option, but they are hardly sold in smallish quantities, and it would be beneficial if the container
had such a bottom that it could be stored upwards like a bottle.
[Edited on 12-12-2020 by Fyndium]
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Fyndium
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I acquired a selection of different types of glass vessels. Quick test on the smallest of them (non-tempered) indicated that unless the thickness
varies by a larger degree, they can be heated to softening point without issue. I lack, however, powerful enough propane torch at my home, so I will
do larger scale tests later when I get to the high power ones. Likely unnecessary, but in some instances it could be more controllable to first bring
the temp to 300 with ordinary oven, and then transferring them promptly to a propane fired oven/kiln to perform complete annealing and eventual
softening into working consistency. Too high of a power will slump the glass so care must be taken in administering heat.
Tempered glass, according to sources, will anneal at +500C, and if it is heated evenly, it should come to a workability of an ordinary glass.
If this is the case, it appears that ordinary bottle could be ampoulized by first (annealing it if it's tempered glass and then) softening and pulling
the neck to even thickness yet to still allow ease of filling, and then seal the glass by classical means.
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itsallgoodjames
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I've sealed large test tubes as ampules. I've also had limited success sealing soda bottles, but I wouldn't recommend it, as more of the time than
not, they end up shattering due to heat stress.
Nuclear physics is neat. It's a shame it's so regulated...
Now that I think about it, that's probably a good thing. Still annoying though.
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macckone
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For larger volumes bottles with teflon seals are pretty standard.
You can buy glass tube and make ampules fairly easily.
Soda lime glass is easier to work with than borosilicate.
Large test tubes can be used as ampules.
https://www.amazon.com/DEPEPE-25%C3%97200mm-Glass-Tubes-Stop...
Not sure if those are borosilicate or soda-lime.
I am guessing soda-lime since it doesn't say.
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Fyndium
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I did some tests with some bottles. The thicker wall ones were very prone to cracking and I had little success with them, but thinner, uniform
thickness wall ones - which allegedly were hardened - worked very well. I first annealed them in my raku kiln to very mild glow at darkness, and then
pulled the necks with steel wire into ampoule form. Takes some practice and I got to make some tools to form the glass when it's soft, like carbon
plungers from wood, but generally it appears to be viable. Likely when formed ready for sealing it might be good idea to heat them to annealing temp
in kiln and let them cool slowly in it to make them less prone to crack. The necks can then be sealed with small torch.
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