BATCH COMPOSITION INFLUENCE ON SINTERING AND CRYSTALLIZATION PROCESSES OF CORDIERITE GLASSES OBTAINED BY THERMAL PLASMA MELTING

This article focuses on the production of glasses and glass-ceramic materials with a cordierite (2MgO∙2Al2O3∙5SiO2) composition. The processes of crystallization and sintering of cordierite glasses, which are based on natural raw materials, pure oxides and pre-synthesized cordierite, have been investigated. It has been determined that cordierite glasses produced via plasma melting exhibit high structural defects attributed to rapid heating and cooling rates. The relaxation of microstresses in the glasses takes place within the temperature range of 480 – 490 °C. Glasses based on synthesized cordierite exhibit a crystallization temperature of 930 – 1020 °C, depending on the presence and type of nucleating agents. This is approximately 20 – 50 °C lower compared to glasses based on component mixtures. The primary crystallization product of studied glasses at 900 °C is the high-quartz solid solution with formula MgO∙Al2O3∙3SiO2, which is dissociate above 1000 °C with the formation of cordierite. The addition of 5% ZrO2 to the batch increases the viscosity of softened glasses and their crystallization temperature, resulting in increased activity of glass powders in the sintering processes due to the higher impact of liquid-phase sintering on the general densification process of glass-ceramics. This allows for the production of glass-ceramics with open porosity of 2 – 4% at 1300 – 1350 °C. The addition of 5% TiO2 to the batch reduces the glass crystallization temperature. However it does not significantly effect on the cordierite glass-ceramics sintering processes. For citation: Sharafeev S.M., Shekhovtsov V.V., Zvyagina E.E. Batch composition influence on sintering and crystallization processes of cordierite glasses obtained by thermal plasma melting. ChemChemTech [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Khim. Khim. Tekhnol.]. 2024. V. 67. N 7. P. 80-87. DOI: 10.6060/ivkkt.20246707.7032.