Structural Features and Synthesis of CeO2-Doped Boroaluminosilicate Oxyfluoride Transparent Glass Ceramics

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of CeO2on structure and synthesis of boroaluminosilicate transparent glass ceramics containing CaF2nanocrystals prepared through isothermal crystallization of the melt-quenched glasses with composition 54SiO2–10B2O3–13Al2O3–14Na2O–3ZnO–2Li2O–4CaF2doped with 0–1.2 mol% CeO2. CeO2in polyvalent states acting as network modifier leads to disruption of the silicate network and the conversion of [BO3] to [BO4] generating the nonlinear variations in crystallization, and thermodynamic and optical features. Glass transition temperature and the crystallization temperature decrease firstly and then increase with the increase of CeO2content. Correspondingly, the size of CaF2nanoscale crystals and the absorption coefficient of the glass ceramics are found to pass through a maximum and then decrease with increasing CeO2addition. Increasing CeO2concentration and elevating treating temperature lead to red-shift of absorption edge and transparency deterioration of glass ceramics.