Effects of heat treatment temperature on crystallization and thermal expansion coefficient of Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2

Effects of heat treatment temperature on crystallization and thermal expansion coefficient of Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2

The basic glass of Li₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ system using P₂O₅ as nucleator was prepared by means of conventional melt quenching technology, and the heat-treatment process was determined by using differential thermal analysis. The crystalline phases and the microstructure of the glass-ceramics were investigated by using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the glass based on Li₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ oxides using P₂O₅ as nucleator can be prepared at lower melt temperature of 1450°C and the glass-ceramics with lower thermal expansion coefficient of 21.6 × 10⁻⁷°C⁻¹ can also be obtained at 750°C. The glass-ceramics contain a few crystal phases in which the main crystal phase is β-quartz solid solution and the second crystal phase is β-spodumene solid solution. When the heat treatment temperature is not higher than 650°C, the transparent glass-ceramics containing β-quartz solid solution can be prepared. β-quartz solid solution changes into β-spodumene solid solution at about 750°C. And the appearance of the glass-ceramics changes from translucent, part opaque to complete opaque with increasing temperature.