Effects of M2+ (M = Ca, Sr, and Ba) Addition on Crystallization and Microstructure of SiO2-MgO-Al2O3-B2O3-K2O-F Glass

Abstract

In understanding the effect of K+ substitution by M2+ (M = Ca, Sr, and Ba) on crystallization and microstructural properties of boroaluminosilicate glass system, the SiO2-MgO-Al2O3-B2O3-MgF2-K2O-Li2O-AlPO4 glasses were prepared by single-step melt-quenching at 1500°C. Density of base glass (2.64 g·cm−3) is found to be decreased in presence of CaO and SrO. Tg is increased by 5–10°C and Td decreased by 13–20°C on addition of M2+. The variation of Tg, Td and decrease of thermal expansion (CTE) from 7.55 to 6.67–6.97 (×10−6/K, at 50–500°C) in substituting K+ by M2+ are attributed to the higher field-strength of Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+. Opaque mica glass-ceramics were derived from the transparent boroaluminosilicate glasses by controlled heat treatment at 1050°C (duration = 4 h); and the predominant crystalline phase was identified as fluorophlogopite (KMg3AlSi3O10F2) by XRD and FTIR study. Glass-ceramic microstructure reveals that the platelike mica flake crystals predominate in presence of K2O and CaO but restructured to smaller droplet like spherical shaped mica on addition of SrO and BaO. Wide range of CTE values (9.54–13.38 × 10−6/K at 50–800°C) are obtained for such glass-ceramics. Having higher CTE value after crystallization, the CaO containing SiO2-MgO-Al2O3-B2O3-MgF2-K2O-Li2O-AlPO4 glass can be useful as SOFC sealing material.