Control of soda-lime glass surface crystallization with thermal poling

•Thermal poling controls crystallization of soda-lime glass subanodic layer.•Either calcium disilicate of diopside crystallites can be formed.•The difference is due to different elemental profile in the poled regions. It is demonstrated that the annealing of the soda lime glass poled in closed and open anode configuration results in the formation of microcrystals of dicalcium silicate (β-Ca2SiO4) and diopside (CaMgSi2O6), respectively, at the anodic side of the glass while unpoled regions of the glass stay non-crystallized. Different types of the microcrystals grown are due to the difference in the composition and structure of the subanodic layer of the differently poled glasses. This allows using thermal poling as a tool to control crystallization of glasses.