DTA study of the crystallization of Li2O–Nb2O5–SiO2–TiO2 glass

In this study, the crystallization of 30Li2O·15Nb2O5·50SiO2·5TiO2 (mol%) glass was examined. The parent glass was prepared by the standard melt quenching method, and the investigations were performed under non-isothermal and isothermal conditions using the DTA, XRD, SEM and EDS methods. The results revealed primary crystallization of this glass and the dendritic morphology of crystal growth. Three crystalline phases were formed in the glass matrix during crystallization, whereby LiNbO3 was formed as the primary phase, followed by Li2Si2O5 and SiO2 as the secondary. The surface and volume mechanisms of crystallization occur. The condition that both the mechanisms were dominant was determined. In the case of volume crystallization, the characteristics of the nucleation process were examined. The kinetic parameters of crystallization under different mechanisms of crystallization were determined.