Abstract

Glass ceramics of the composition Li2O⋅2SiO2.were prepared with an oriented microstructure. The oriented crystalline phase is orthorhombic lithium disilicate. This orientation was achieved by crystallization of glass fibers and bulk glasses in a temperature gradient and under isothermal conditions. Both bulk and surface crystallization were achieved. Further, oriented crystalline films were prepared on glassy and crystalline substrates by a sol-gel method. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the microstructure. The degree of orientation was investigated by X-ray pole figure measurements from which orientation distribution functions and inverse pole figures were calculated. The (002) plane of the surface crystallized material shows a strong fiber texture parallel to the surface of the sample.