Nearly zero thermal expansion of β-spodumene glass ceramics prepared by sol-gel and hot pressing method

beta-Spodumene glass-ceramics were fabricated by sol-gel process followed by hot pressing technique. The microstructure, mechanical properties and thermal expansion behavior of the glass-ceramics were investigated. The glass ceramics hot pressed at 1200 and 1300 degrees C have relative good mechanical properties and nearly zero coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). CTE of the specimen sintered at 1200 degrees C ranges from -0.03 x 10(-7) K-1 to -0.97 x 10(-7) K-1. The thermal expansion behavior characteristics are found to be strongly influenced by crystalline phases, crystallinity and microstructure in the specimens, which depend on the sintering temperatures. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.