Crystallization kinetics of binary borosilicate glass composite

Abstract

Kinetics of cristobalite precipitation in a binary glass composite, containing a low-softening borosilicate (BSG) and a high-softening high silica (HSG) glass, have been investigated. XRD results show that the pure glasses do not crystallize under the sintering conditions used, but when mixed in appropriate proportions the cristobalite gradually precipitates out of the initial amorphous binary glass mixture as the sintering continues at temperatures ranging from 800 to 1000 °C. Average linear thermal expansion coefficient (TCE) results show that the TCE increases significantly with increasing precipitation of cristobalite as a function of sintering time. Comparing the experimental TCE results with those theoretically calculated, it is concluded that the precipitation originates most likely in the HSG rather than in the BSG. The precipitation kinetics follow the Avrami equation, and the results show an apparent activation energy of 82 kJ/mol which is close to those for the diffusion of alkali ions in silicate glasses, suggesting mass-transport controlled kinetics. The values of the Avrami exponent are 1.7–1.8, which could be interpreted as a 3-dimension diffusional growth at zero nucleation rate. The linear growth rates of cristobalite, calculated from the precipitation curve, are in the range of 4–8 × 10−5 μm/min, and show slight temperature dependence from 800 to 1000 °C. The linear growth rates of cristobalite are also calculated theoretically using the equation derived by Turnbull et al.,2 and the data are 0–3 orders of magnitude smaller than those observed experimentally. This disparity is attributed to the catalytic effect of the OH and O in air and in the glass network, as well as the diffusion of alkali ions from BSG to HSG.