Effect of Y₂O₃ Concentration on the Surface and Bulk Crystallization of Multicomponent Silicate Glasses

Multicomponent silicate glasses are crystallized by Y2O3 addition. Depending on the Y2O3 concentration, different crystalline phases evolve. In the absence of Y2O3, a multicomponent glass crystallizes as ZnSnO3, while with the addition of just 3% of this oxide, ZnSnO3 no longer crystallizes and ZrSiO4 appears instead. Different yttrium silicate crystals are formed in all glasses containing Y2O3, but, while alpha-Y2Si2O7 and beta-Y2Si2O7 are favored at low Y2O3 concentrations, the gamma-Y2Si2O7 and y-Y2Si2O7 phases are favored at the maximum Y2O3 content. At a 12% Y2O3 concentration, barium and calcium silicate crystalline phases also evolve. Interestingly, the crystalline phases appearing on the surface of the material present different microstructures compared to crystals developed in the bulk. While the crystallized surface presents a tabular-shape type, crystallization in the bulk is of a prismatic type at low Y2O3 concentrations and of a globular (spherical) type at higher concentrations. The main crystal size ranges between 0.85 and 0.75 micrometers, but most of the crystals coalesce to form larger superstructures depending on the Y2O3 concentrations.