Effects of nucleating agents on diopside crystallization in new glass-ceramics for tile-glaze application

The effect of crystallization produced by addition of TiO2, ZrO2 and P2O5 oxides to glass-ceramic of the system CaO-MgO-SiO2 was studied using structural and thermal techniques. The devitrification process was independent of thermal treatment. X-ray diffraction studies performed on the glass-ceramic system indicated that diopside crystalline phase was more thermodynamically favourable than other phases. The effect of the nucleating agent depends on its nature: TiO2 decreased the activation energy while P2O5 and ZrO2 did not. SEM analysis of the doped glass-ceramics showed randomly distributed crystals with significant dimensional variations from those of the undoped system. All these formulations, showing a high crystallization rate, and a fast heating rate, can be used as tile glazes and/or tile-glaze components.