Crystallization behavior of (1 − x)Li2O·xNa2O·Al2O3·4SiO2 glasses

The crystallization behavior of the (1 − x)Li2O·xNa2O·Al2O3·4SiO2 glasses has been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction (ED) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The crystalline phase was composed of β-spodumene. The isothermal crystallization kinetics of β-spodumene from the (1 − x)Li2O·xNa2O·Al2O3·4SiO2 glasses has also been studied by a quantitative X-ray diffraction method. The activation energy of β-spodumene formation decreases from 359.2 to 317.8 kJ/mol when the Na2O content increases from 0 to 0.4 mol and it increases from 317.8 to 376.9 kJ/mol when the Na2O content increases from 0.4 to 0.6 mol. The surface nucleation and plate-like growth were dominant in the crystallization of the (1 − x)Li2O·xNa2O·Al2O3·4SiO2 glasses.