Effect of TiO2 on crystallization and mechanical properties of MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 glasses containing P2O5

MgO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 glass-ceramics have been widely used in military, industrial, and construction applications. The nucleating agent is one of the most important factors in the production of glass-ceramics as it can control the crystallization temperature or the grain size. In this study, we investigated the effect of replacing P 2 O 5 with different amounts of TiO 2 on the crystallization, structure, and mechanical properties of an MgO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 system. The crystallization and microstructure were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry , Raman spectroscopy , X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy . The mechanical properties were investigated by measuring the Vickers hardness , Young's modulus , and fracture toughness. The results showed that adding TiO 2 favored the precipitation of fine grains and significantly increased the Vickers hardness, Young's modulus, and fracture toughness of the glasses. Introducing an appropriate amount of TiO 2 can make a glass structure more compact, promote crystallization, and improve the mechanical properties of MgO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 glass-ceramics.