Structure and crystallization behavior of glasses in the BaO–B2O3–Al2O3 system

Abstract
The structure and the devitrification behavior of barium aluminoborate glasses, examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction are reported. The glass compositions are expressed by the general formula: (50 - x/2)BaO .(50 - x/2)B2O3. xAl(2)O(3) with x = 2, 4 and 8. All the as-quenched glasses were phase separated. Aluminum acting as glass former gives a more polymerized structure increasing the glass stability with respect to the devitrification process. Surface crystallization was found to be dominant for all glasses, forming beta BaB2O4 nanocrystals as the main crystalline phase. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved