Compositional Effect on the Structure and Properties of MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 Ternary Glasses

MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ (MAS) glass has widespread applications due to the excellent chemical stability and mechanical strength. Accommodation of macroscopic properties requires a systematic investigation of the microstructure of glass caused by compositional adjustment. In this work, effects of progressive replacement of MgO by Al₂O₃ or SiO₂ on glass structure and Vickers hardness were investigated. With the replacement of MgO by Al₂O₃ or SiO₂, the glass network was strengthened, as a result, the glass transition temperature was increased and the crystallization tendency was weakened. The degree of structural changes caused by substitution of SiO₂ for MgO is more significant than that of Al₂O₃ substitute for MgO. The strengthened glass network promotes the increase of Vickers hardness, and the coefficient of thermal expansion can be tailored in a large range. The results show that MAS glass maybe useful in the field of glass substrates for TFT–LCDs.