Transparent glass ceramics with composition of xErF3-10PbF2-90SiO2 (mol%, x=0, 1, 2, 3, 4)
were prepared by sol-gel method. The thermal behavior of the xerogels was investigated by DSC.
Through non-isothermal experiments, the apparent activation energy for the crystallization of β-PbF2
phase was evaluated by the Kissinger’s method and Chen’s method. XRD and TEM were carried out to
study the growth of β-PbF2 nanocrystals and the effect of Er3+ doping on it.