Small-angle x-ray scattering study of complex particle growth in an MgO–Al2 O3–ZrO2–SiO2 glass

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Abstract
The characteristics and kinetics of a phase‐separation process involving ZrO2 upon isothermal heat treatment of a glass at 850 °C was studied by means of small‐angle x‐ray scattering (SAXS), employing electron microscopy (EM) and x‐ray powder diffraction as supplementary tools. The various results indicate the initial formation of spherical particles, which at a later time transform to clumps of ZrO2 crystallites. The crystallite clumps then grow by a diffusion‐limited mechanism. For analysis of the scattering data, a Walker‐Guinier‐type particle‐diffusion zone model was found adequate. For following the kinetics of growth, emphasis is placed on the variation with time of values of particle size and I(0) parameters derived from the scattering data. Reasonable agreement in the values of the SAXS and EM determined particle‐size parameters is obtained.