Effect of CaO addition on crystallization processes of Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2-TiO2 glasses

By a progressive weight percent substitution of CaO for SiO2, the effect of CaO addition on the crystallization processes of Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2-TiO2 glasses was studied. The crystallization rate was inversely proportional to CaO content. The isothermal kinetics of crystallization of β-spodumene from the Li2O-CaO-Al2O3-SiO2-TiO2 glasses was investigated using quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. For samples in which CaO contents are 5, 9 and 13 wt%, the activation energies for crystal growth were 249.4 kJ/mol, 151.9 kJ/mol and 189.1 kJ/mol, respectively. The growth morphology parameter m=2 was found, showing rod-like growth.