Recent research on Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glass-ceramics for expansion of applications

Applications of Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glass -ceramics (LAS GC) have been extended to electronic and optical devices and production process equipment in addition to their conventional use in cookware. For further expansion and application to new markets, we demonstrate three topics of our research on the material and production processes from viewpoint of glass phases. The first topic is spherical LAS GC powder for a filler application. It has been developed successfully, which can be prepared in a single heat treatment where spheroidizing by viscous flow and crystallization are achieved simultaneously by considering the kinetics of the two phenomena. Second, high transparent LAS GC was obtained by the composition design of the glass -matrix phase, Ti -free, or increasing Al content based on the coloration mechanism. Third, the fan shape of the feeder in our forming process has accomplished to prevent devitrification and form the largest sheet of 2200 x 2500 x 5 mm.