Influence of traces of NiO on crystallization of soda-lime-silicate glass

For the soda-lime-silicate glass with a composition (mol%) of 50.2SiO(2)- 19.2Na(2)O- 30.6CaO,the effect of 0.1 wt % NiO addition on crystallization behavior was examined around glass transition temperature. NiO addition provokes the increase in crystal growth velocity due to enhanced mobility of structural unit forming crystals. However, the steady-state nucleation rate is reduced accompanied by an increase in time-lag for nucleation, hence leading to a wider crystal size distribution compared to that of the undoped glass. We also found that Ni elements tend to exist in the glass phase, thereby they will enrich at the crystallization front when the degree of crystallization is extremely high. Meanwhile, the density misfits between Na4Ca4(Si6O18) crystals and residual glass phase occurs and triggers the formation of stress energy, which results in the cessation of crystal growth at the later period of crystallization.