Effect of TiO2 and ZrO2 Addition on Phase Evolution, Densification and Microstructure of Lithium Silicate Ceramics

Abstract

Lithium ortho-silicate (Li4SiO4) powder was synthesized using cheaper source of silica like rice husk ash through solid-state reaction of Li2CO3 (Lithium Carbonate) and SiO2 (Silica). Phase pure powder could be produced at 800oC calcined for 4h. In this report we studied the phase evolution, densification and corresponding micro structural properties in Li4SiO4 on the addition of TiO2 and ZrO2 nano powder by solid-state mixing process. The obtained powders are pressed and sintered at three different temperatures i.e. 900oC, 950oC, 1000oC. The structural, micro structural and mechanical properties of above samples were investigated by X-ray Diffraction, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and Diametric Tensile Strength measurement respectively. It is observed that densification and diametric tensile strength (DTS) values of the Solid-state mixing of 1wt% nano TiO2 and ZrO2 to Li4SiO4 showed 76% and 81% of the theoretical density and DTS values of 3.9MPa and 4.1Mpa at 1000oC, which is less than that of the pure Li4SiO4 samples.