Structural phase analysis of a sol-gel nano-crystalline lithium-mica glass-ceramic through different compositions

The current paper attempts to study the influence of chemical composition on the phase development of nano-crystalline lithium-mica glass-ceramic. For this purpose, aqueous sol-gel technique was employed to prepare the glass-ceramics. The synthesis process was accomplished using two chemical compositions of Li_(1+x)Mg₃AlSi_3(1+x)O_10+6.5xF₂ and LiMg₃AlSi_3(1+x)O_10+6xF₂ at different x values along with various mass% of MgF₂ inclusion. It was found that considering an optimized amount of MgF₂, the specimens synthesized through a new formulation of LiMg₃AlSi_3(1+x)O_10+6xF₂ composition are more appropriate for the sol-gel synthesis method, especially because of intensifying the lithium-mica precipitation and also omission of the secondary phase (i.e. lithium aluminum silicate). The results also indicated that any deviation from the optimized amount of MgF₂ (8%) would cause degradation in the intensity of the precipitated lithium-mica, following the nucleation treatment. - Highlights: • Higher intensity of mica phase obtains through LiMg₃AlSi_3(1+x)O_10+6xF₂ composition. • LiMg₃AlSi_3(1+x)O_10+6xF₂ composition offers mica phase without applying excess MgF₂. • Applying LiMg₃AlSi_3(1+x)O_10+6xF₂ composition leads to omission of minor phases. • Li_(1+x)Mg₃AlSi_3(1+x)O_10+6.5xF₂ formula cannot be useful in mica nucleation process. • Optimum amount of MgF₂ was obtained as 8% following the nucleation process.