Tetragonal to orthorhombic transformation during mullite formation

The mullite formation process in both single phase and diphasic sol-gel precursors to mullite was studied using dynamic x-ray diffraction (DXRD). A metastable, tetragonal-like mullite phase was observed in all the single gels at temperatures from 980 °C to 1200 °C, but not in any of the other precursors. The tetragonal to orthorhombic mullite transformation was very slow as the lattice parameters, a and b, split and moved gradually away from each other as a result of a gradual decrease of alumina content in the mullite solid solution with increasing temperature from 1100 °C to 1200 °C. The formation of tetragonal mullite coincides with that of the Al–Si spinel. The occurrence of tetragonal mullite or the spinel (or both) is determined mainly by the processing conditions of the sol-gel precursors.