Crystallization of Gahnite in CMAS Glass Forming System - Mechanism and Process Kinetics
The crystallisation mechanism of glass-ceramic materials from a CMAS group Al0.37B0.34Fe0.01Mg0.02Zn0.29Ca0.05Si0.78O3 was tested under non-isothermal conditions by the DTA method. Glass-ceramic material of two-phase composition with precipitation of crystallites from islet silicates Zn2SiO4 and a crystalline phase from a spinel group, gahnite ZnAl2O4 was obtained in the system under investigation. Activation energy of a crystallization process Ea was determined and a crystal growth morphology parameter n was computed. It was revealed that in the test material from a CMAS group one could obtain the crystalline phase in the form of ghanite as a result of a controlled process of crystallization. The occurrence of a spinel phase caused the obtained glass-ceramic material had higher fracture toughness (KIC) than material from a CMAS group, containing pyroxene crystalline phases typical for this system.