Crystallization, microstructure and mechanical behavior of titanium doped barium fluormica glass‐ceramics

Abstract Crystallization, microstructure and mechanical behavior of TiO ₂ doped barium fluorphlogopite glass‐ceramics were systematically studied. TiO ₂ was used as a doper nucleant in the BaO·4MgO·Al ₂ O ₃ ·6SiO ₂ ·2MgF ₂ glass system. Melting technique was adopted to prepare the glass samples which were analyzed by differential thermal analysis (DTA), X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and micro hardness indenter. The DTA study demonstrated that the crystallization exotherm of fluorphlogopite mica appeared in the temperature window of 886‐903°C. In this investigation, four glass samples were prepared using 2 (MA1), 4 (MA2), 6 (MA3), and 8 (MA4) wt% of TiO _2. Glass transition ( T _g ) and peak crystallization ( T _p ) temperatures escalated with an increase in the TiO ₂ content from 2 (MA1) to 4 wt% (MA2). However, beyond this value, T _g and T _p decreased with a surge in TiO ₂ content from 6 (MA3) to 8 wt% (MA4). Nevertheless, with a gradual rise in the TiO ₂ content, the crystals of the glass‐ceramics became enlarged and subsequently exhibited mechanical properties, such as hardness, fracture toughness, and machinability. Therefore, in solid oxide fuel cell applications, TiO ₂ is a promising nucleating agent to generate fluorphlogopite mica‐based glass‐ceramics.