Effects of the particle size and nucleation temperature on tellurite 20Li2O–80TeO2 glass crystallization

20Li2O–80TeO2 glasses were heat annealed at different temperatures between Tg and Tx and studied by using XRD, FTIR spectroscopy and DSC techniques to understand the crystallization kinetics in this glass matrix. The infrared band structure of this glass is similar to what was observed in glassy TeO2. XRD results reveal the presence of three distinct crystalline γ-TeO2, α-TeO2 and Li2Te2O5 phases during the crystallization process. This is a first report of γ-TeO2 phase crystallization in this glass matrix. DSC results confirm the crystallization of three distinct structures in the glass. In summary, our results suggest a crystallization hierarchy on this glass matrix since the γ-TeO2 and α-TeO2 phases crystallization occurs before the Li2Te2O5 phase crystallization.