Compositional Effect on the Structure and Properties of MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 Ternary Glasses

MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 (MAS) glass has widespread applications due to the excellent chemical stability and mechanical strength. Accommodation of macroscopic properties requires a systematic investigation of the microstructure of glass caused by compositional adjustment. In this work, effects of progressive replacement of MgO by Al2O3 or SiO2 on glass structure and Vickers hardness were investigated. With the replacement of MgO by Al2O3 or SiO2, the glass network was strengthened, as a result, the glass transition temperature was increased and the crystallization tendency was weakened. The degree of structural changes caused by substitution of SiO2 for MgO is more significant than that of Al2O3 substitute for MgO. The strengthened glass network promotes the increase of Vickers hardness, and the coefficient of thermal expansion can be tailored in a large range. The results show that MAS glass maybe useful in the field of glass substrates for TFT–LCDs.