Barium Silicate Glasses and Glass Ceramics Prepared by the Sol-gel Process

Abstract

An all-alkoxide sol-gel route to barium silicate glass has been developed. A highly reactive barium disilicate (BS2) composition gel was densified into glass with 97% density at 725°C (Tg=695°C). DTA, XRD, TKM and optical studies reveal that the phase separation and crystallization behaviour of the gel glass is similar to that of the corresponding melt glass, although the peak crystallization temperature (Tc) from DTA is lower for the gel glass.