As a reliable analytical laboratory, the IGR also offers its customers seed and blister content analyses, also known as cavern content analyses.

We would like to particularly emphasise that, to our current knowledge, the IGR is the only laboratory in the world that uses a test procedure accredited in accordance with DIN EN ISO / IEC 17025:2018 and also has all the important gases determined, including the various sulphur modifications. A clear interpretation regarding blister formation or the origin of the blister is only possible in this way.

In the following, we would like to present you a brief overview of the procedure and time of analysis.

First, the glasses sent to us by the customer are visually inspected and documented with respect to their appearance and the position of blisters, seeds or foam stripes. We then examine these microscopically and typically prepare three to five for exemplary blister content determination using mass or Raman spectroscopy. If any other conspicuous features such as cords or particles have been identified in the immediate vicinity of the blister and seed area, we also perform an SEM-EDX examination to possibly obtain additional evidence for the blister formation.

Our interpretation of the results is based on the visual and microscopic examinations, the results of the blister content determination as well as the information received from the client, such as parameters of the melting tank. This allows the interpretation of the origin of the blister formation so that we can develop and communicate suggestions as to which melt modifications should be made in order to avoid the formation of blister in the future.

A typical blister content analysis from the arrival of the samples at our institute to the sending of the test report in different languages by e-mail usually takes less than 24 hours.

Do you also have problems with blisters or foam stripes forming during glass production? Then please feel free to contact us, we will surely find a solution for you.