Production of ultra-transparent glass-ceramics via controlled crystallization of nanocrystals in the glassy matrix of LAST

摘要

Microstructural variation in glass-ceramics encompasses the range from nanocrystalline transparent materials to microcrystalline tough materials. In this investigation, the crystallization process was controlled for the development of ultra transparent Li_2O-Al_2O_3-SiO_2 glass-ceramics containing TiO_2 as a nucleating agent (LAST). Results of UV-Vis absorption spectra were compared with the expected theoretical values calculated by the Rayleigh scattering method for the determination of ultra transparency. Results of the investigation illustrate that the control of crystallization increases the range of ultra transparency by the reduction of crystal size and their uniformity in the glassy matrix. Last but not the least, the optimized samples are ultra'transparent approximately in the whole light wavelengths.