Structural analysis and devitrification of glasses based on the CaO–MgO–SiO2 system with B2O3, Na2O, CaF2 and P2O5 additives

Glasses, whose basic composition was based on the CaO–MgO–SiO2 system and doped with B2O3, P2O5, Na2O, and CaF2, were prepared by melting at 1400 °C for 1 h. Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy revealed that the main structural units in the glass network were predominantly Q1 and Q2 silicate species. The presence of phosphate and borate units in the structure of the glasses was also evident in these spectra. X-ray analysis showed that the investigated glasses devitrified at 750 °C and higher temperatures. The crystalline phases of diopside and wollastonite dominated, but weak peaks, assigned to akermanite and fluorapatite, were also registered in the diffractograms. The presence of B2O3, Na2O, and CaF2 had a negligible influence on the assemblage of the crystallized phases, but it caused a reduction of crystallization temperature, comparing to similar glasses of the CaO–MgO–SiO2 system.