Development of crystalline phases in sintered glass-ceramics from residual E-glass fibres

The crystalline phase evolution during firing of glass-ceramic materials from residual E-glass fibres was investigated as a function of temperature and time. The thermal stability and the mechanism of crystallisation were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The mineralogical and microstructural characterisation of the sintered glass-ceramics was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively. The crystallisation behaviour was depicted by the TTT (Time–Temperature–Transformation) curve. The activation energies for crystallisation were calculated by the Friedman differential isoconversional, ASTM and Kissinger methods. The results show that devitrification of the glass leads to a series of glass-ceramic materials composed of wollastonite and plagioclase s.s. Their microstructure is composed of a dense network of crystals, which is responsible for the high mechanical properties exhibited by these materials.