Crystallization characteristics and physico-chemical properties of indium-containing lithium iron aluminosilicate glasses

The crystallization characteristics, microhardness and chemical durability of glasses based on the Li2O–Al2O3–Fe2O3 (In2O3)–SiO2 system were investigated. The present work aims to study the effect of In2O3/Fe2O3 replacements on the crystallization and the resulting microstructure of the glass-ceramics. Very fine grained microstructure was mostly developed by In2O3/Fe2O3 replacements in the glass-ceramics. The crystalline phases formed after controlled heat-treatment of the glasses were β-eucryptite ss, lithium meta- and di-silicate as well as two forms of pyroxene phases (LiFeSi2O6 and LiInSi2O6). The microhardness values of the resulting glass-ceramics were decreased with In2O3/Fe2O3 replacements while the chemical durability was improved. The obtained data were correlated to the type of the crystalline phases formed and the resulting microstructure. Promising glass-ceramic materials of fine microstructure and good chemical durability could be obtained.