Structure and crystallization of potassium titanium phosphate glasses containing B2O3 and SiO2

Abstract Transparent glasses composition of which can be expressed by the formula: (100− x ) · (K 2 O · 2TiO 2 · P 2 O 5 ) · x (K 2 O · 2B 2 O 3 · 7SiO 2 ), where x =5, 10, 15 and 20 mol% (KTP– x KBS), were obtained by melt quenching technique. The structure and crystallization behavior of these glasses have been examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. In spite of their nominal composition, the studied glasses exhibit a similar oxygen polyhedra distribution. However, significant differences were found in the trigonal BO 3 units amount. During DTA runs all the examined glasses devitrify in two steps. In the former, very small crystals of an unknown crystalline phase are produced. In KTP–5KBS and KTP–10KBS glasses anatase phase was also detected. Attempts were made in order to identify the unknown phase (UTP) for which a AB 3 (XO 4 ) 2 (OH) 6 Crandallite-type structure was proposed where the A, B and X sites were occupied by K, Ti and/or Al, and P, respectively. In the second devitrification step the crystallization of the KTiOPO 4 phase occurs while the UTP phase previously formed disappears. Isothermal heat treatments performed at temperature just above T g have allowed one to obtain transparent crystal–glass nanocomposites, formed by crystalline nanostructure of the UTP phase uniformly dispersed in the amorphous matrix.