Effect of Nb2O5 Nanoparticles as Nucleation Agent on the Properties of Lithium Aluminum Silicate Glass-Ceramics

The objective of this study is investigation of particle size of nucleation agent effect on morphology, types of crystalline phases and microstructure of lithium aluminum silicate glassceramic. In order to achieve this aim, the Li2O-CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 system was investigated by incorporation of Nb2O5 as nucleation agent. So, glass-ceramic with spoduman as main crystalline phase, lithium metasilicate (Li2SiO3) and wollastonite (CaSiO3) as secondary phases were created. The size of Nb2O5 particles was changed into nanoscale. Crystalline phases, crystallization behavior and microstructure of the glass-ceramic were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Changing of nucleation agent particle size to nanometric scale lead to decreasing of nucleation temperature, increasing of spoduman as major crystalline phase volume fraction, decreasing of secondary phases volume fraction and improvement of mechanical properties.