Abstract
The role of Al2O3/La2O3 ratio in the processing and properties of sapphire-like glass ceramics in the Al2O3–La2O3–ZrO2 system is elucidated. We show that processing on an industrial scale (i.e. without a need for extremely rapid quenching and very high consolidation pressures) requires a certain degree of glass forming ability and glass stability. On the other hand, efficient crystallisation characterised by the ability to convert glass into a nanosized, fully devitrified product requires very unstable glasses. Development of glass converted nanoscale ceramics with properties similar to sapphire relies on compositions in which this interplay is conveniently balanced.
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