Preparation of a transparent supporting spacer array for vacuum glazing

Materials used to produce spacers present in vacuum glazing have classically been opaque. The present study suggests a method to produce transparent spacers, which allows for the production of novel nearly transparent vacuum glazing. The transparent glass spacer array between two sheets of glass substrates was prepared by screen printing. A typical paste composition with suitable screen-printing behaviors is evaluated in weight percent: 24 Wt% organic vehicle, and 76 Wt% low melting glass powder. The paste is a shear thinning and has a viscous liquid behavior dispersion system with little thixotropy. This novel method to prepare a transparent spacer array for vacuum glazing is reliable and superior to the commonly used metal pillar array in terms of appearance, transmittance, Vickers hardness, and the thickness uniformity of the prepared spacers.

► A transparent glass spacer array for use in vacuum glazing was prepared.
► The shear thinning, little thixotropic, viscous behaviors of the paste are desirable.
► The transmittance, hardness, and uniformity of spacers are suitable for vacuum glazing.