Control of self-powdering phenomenon in ferroelastic β′-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystallization in boro-tellurite glasses

Abstract Glasses with compositions of 21Gd2O3-63MoO3-(16-x)B2O3-xTeO2 (mol%) (x = 0, 2, 4, 8) were prepared using a conventional melt quenching technique, and the crystallization behavior of ferroelastic β′-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystals was examined to clarify the mechanism of self-powdering phenomenon and to design bulk crystallized glasses. It was found that the self-powdering phenomenon appeared significantly during the crystallization at temperatures near the crystallization peak temperature, but the phenomenon is suppressed in the crystallization at temperatures much higher than the glass transition temperature. It was also found that the substitution of TeO2 for B2O3 in the base glasses suppresses the self-powdering phenomenon and consequently bulk crystallized glasses were obtained in the glass with x = 8 mol%. The densities at room temperature of the base glasses are d = 4.755–4.906 g/cm3, being much higher than the value of d = 4.555 g/cm3 for β′-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystal. It is proposed that the stresses in the inside of crystals induced by large density differences (i.e., large molar volume differences) between the glassy phase and crystals might be relaxed effectively in the glasses containing TeO2 with weak Te O bonds and fragile character.