Effect of particle size on kinetics crystallization of an iron-rich glass

The effect of glass particle size on the crystallization kinetics of an iron-rich glass from a nickel leaching waste has been investigated by means of differential thermal analysis (DTA). The results show that the crystallization of a pyroxene phase occurs by bulk nucleation from a constant number of nuclei. The crystallization mode and the dimensionality of crystals are strongly dependent on the glass particle size, 100 μm being the critical size. Glass fractions with particle size >100 μm show three-dimensional crystal growth controlled by diffusion, whereas a particle size <100 μm leads to an interface reaction mechanism with two-dimensional growth of crystals.