Effect of high pressure on the mechanical properties of lithium disilicate glass ceramic

Lithium disilicate glass has been submitted to a high pressure treatment associated to a heat treatment, and the effects of densification and crystallization at high pressure on the mechanical properties were evaluated. The hardness and elastic modulus were examined by instrumented indentation using a Berkovich tip. The crack pattern morphology after indentation with a cube corner indenter was also investigated. The hardness and elastic modulus of the samples submitted to high pressure at room temperature decreased with increasing pressure. The hardness and elastic modulus of the samples submitted simultaneously to high pressure (up to 7.7 GPa) and high temperature increased noticeably. The amount, length and type of cracks induced by the cube corner tip changed with increasing pressure. These results indicate that the high temperature treatment under high pressure improved the mechanical properties of LS2.