Effect of different nucleating agent ratios on the crystallization and properties of MAS glass ceramics

Abstract

The effects of different kinds of nucleating agents on crystallization, microstructure and performances of Magnesium Aluminosilicate (MgO-Al2O3-SiO2, MAS) glass-ceramics which were fabricated by melting method in this study. Also, this paper systematically investigated the mechanism of glass stability, crystallization kinetics and element distribution of MAS glass-ceramics. Herein, we used three kinds of nucleating agents, which was TiO2, ZrO2 and composite nucleating agent (TiO2/ZrO2). The results showed after the doping of nucleating agent, the content of α-cordierite was increased, the stability and crystallization kinetics of glass was changed, the precipitated crystal phase was finer and more compact. Wherein, the sample with composite nucleating agents (TiO2, ZrO2) has the best performance due to the highest contents of α - cordierite, uniform distribution of elements without agglomeration in the crystal phase and the most compact structure, whose Vickers hardness and bending strength can reach 9.70 GPa and 312 MPa, respectively.