Phase transformations of Li2O–Al2O3–SiO2 glasses with CeO2 addition

The nucleation and crystallization behavior of Li2O–Al2O3–SiO2 glasses with addition of 5 wt.% CeO2 were investigated. With CeO2 addition, the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the crystallization peak temperature (Tp) decreased. The transformations of glass to β-quartz and of β-quartz to β-spodumene were accelerated by addition of CeO2. The values of crystallization activation energy (E) and Avrami exponent (n) determined by the Kissinger equations and the Augis–Bennett equation were 282±7 kJ/mol and 3.2±0.2, respectively, while without addition of CeO2, the values were 323±7 kJ/mol and 2.8±0.2. The results suggest that addition of 5 wt.% CeO2 serving as a flux also promotes crystallization.