Study and characterization of pyroxene-based glass-ceramic glazes.

A method was proposed to develop pyroxene-based glass-ceramic glazes. First, was studied, by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, the effect of several additives in the monophasic crystallization of pyroxene from glasses in the (CaOMgOAl2O3)-Mg-.-Al-.-SiO2 quaternary system. After, it was determined the sinterization intervals and thermal properties of the glasses, by hot stage microscopy and dilatometry. Finally, some studied glasses were chosen and glazed tiles were developed under fast firing wall- and floor-tile industrial cycles. The results proved the reproducibility of the microstructural characteristics obtained in the previous study with glasses. The measurement of different mechanical properties confirmed their potential application in nowadays industrial processing.