Nucleation in Lithium Disilicate Glass: A Test of Classical Theory by Quantitative Modeling

Published data on the kinetics of crystal nucleation in lithium disilicate glass are analyzed using a numerical simulation based on classical nucleation theory. With a reasonable set of materials parameters, a quantitative fit is possible to all measured data, including those showing transient behavior in single-stage or multistage anneals. The fitting constitutes a comprehensive test of classical nucleation theory, which, even in the simple form used here, is found to be capable of quantitative prediction. The numerical simulation will be of use in developing heat treatments for glassceramics.