High Strength Pyroxene-Based Glass- Ceramic Foams in the Presence of Fe۲O۳

Strong glass-ceramic foams with a compressive strength of ۲۰ MPa were prepared by adding various amounts of Fe۲O۳ to a soda lime-based glass composition, and SiC as a foaming agent. The foams were prepared by firing the compacted samples in the range of ۷۵۰–۹۵۰°C for different soaking times. The crystallization behavior of the samples was investigated by Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA), Scanning Electron Microscope, and X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD). Based on the results, solid solutions of pyroxene groups were crystallized by the surface mechanism, between ۷۳۰˚C and ۹۰۰˚C during the firing of the specimens, and their amounts increases with increasing of the added iron oxide. Besides, we found that Fe۲O۳ neither acts as a nucleant for pyroxene nor as an oxidizer for SiC. The results also showed that the compressive strength as well as the crystallization behavior of the foams was influenced by the presence of the SiC particles.

Keywords:

glass-ceramic foam , pyroxene , crystallization