Complex Nucleation And Crystal Growth Mechanisms In Applied Multi-Component Glass-Ceramics

The complex mechanisms of nucleation and crystallisation were studied in three multi-component glass-ceramics (I: SiO2-AlO3-NaO-K2O-CaO-P2O5-F, II: SiO2-Li2O-ZrO2-P2O5, III: SiO2-Li2O-ZnO-K2O-P2O5). SEM, XRD, and kinetic investigations were conducted. Base glasses of each of the glass-ceramic systems were examined to determine parallel and consecutive nucleation and crystallisation reactions which lead to the preferred main crystal phases in the microstructure of these glass-ceramics. The driving force for diffusion transport in the glass matrices is provided by steep compositional gradients resulting from micro and nanoscale microstructural hetereogeneities.