Nanostructuring in potassium titanium phosphate glasses containing SiO2

Glasses from which the ferroelectrics phase KTiOPO4 can crystallise have been prepared and studied. Namely, two glasses having the 92(K2O·2TiO2·P2O5)·8SiO2 (KTP-8Si) and the 88(K2O·2TiO2·P2O5)·12SiO2 (KTP-12Si) molar compositions have been synthesised by the melt quenching technique. They were examined by differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The KTP-8Si glass devitrifies in a single step forming KTiOPO4 phase, whereas the KTP-12Si glass firstly crystallises in an unknown phase and then, at higher temperatures, KTiOPO4 crystallites grow. Proper heat treatments performed on the KTP-8Si glass at temperatures just below the glass transition range produce transparent samples the glassy matrix of which contains crystalline nanostructure of the KTP phase.