The characterization of high-strength surface-crystallized glasses

Controlled surface crystallization has become established as a method of significantly improving the mechanical strengths of glasses. Previous work has indicated that the surface state of the glass prior to crystallization can profoundly influence the microstructure of the surface-crystallized layer and thereby modify the mechanical strength of the material produced. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effects of different surface-abrasion treatments, prior to crystallization, upon the microstructure of the surface-crystallized layer and the mechanical properties of two glasses. Indentation fracture was employed to characterize the glass surface and electron microscopy to investigate the microstructures that developed.