TiO2(B) nanocrystals in Ti-doped lithium aluminosilicate glasses

Three different compositions of TiO2-doped lithium aluminosilicate glass were annealed and analyzed to investigate their first stages of crystallization. After phase separation had occurred, monoclinic TiO2(B) was invariably observed as the first seed forming phase. Phase identification was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, disproving its interpretation as pseudobrookite in previous literature sources. The phase was observed to undergo gradual transformation into anatase with increasing temperature, but its persistence was longer in the Si-richer samples. It disappeared right before the volume crystallization of high quartz solid solution and keatite solid solution