Glass-ceramics process for their preparation and use

Abstract

The present invention refers to glass-ceramics consisting of the mixtures (I): ZrO2—SiO2—MeIIO, or (II) SiO2—MeIIIO2—MeIIO, wherein: MeII is chosen in the group consisting of: Ca, Ba, Mg, Zn or mixture thereof; MeIII is chosen in the group consisting of Al, B or mixtures thereof; each of the above said constituents being present in determined quantities; the invention refers also to a process for preparing the glass-ceramics above defined; porcelain stonewares and glazes containing them and their use for preparing ceramic items.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention refers to glass-ceramic consisting of the mixtures (I) or (I):

[0002] (I) ZrO2—SiO2—MeIIO

[0003] (II) SiO2—Me2IIIO2—MeIIO

[0004] wherein in mixture (I):

[0005] MeII=Ca, Ba, Mg, Zn or mixtures thereof and the percentage, in weight, for each component is:

[0006] ZrO2 5-25%

[0007] SiO2 45-75%

[0008] MeIIO 15-45%

[0009] and in mixture (II)

[0010] MeII is as above defined;

[0011] MeIII=Al, B or mixtures thereof

[0012] and the percentage in weight for each of the above said components is:

[0013] SiO2 30-65%

[0014] Me2IIIO3 5-25%

[0015] MeIIO 5-40%

STATE OF THE ART

[0016] It is known that glass is an amorphous material obtained by melting of crystalline compounds followed by cooling down of the melted mass.

[0017] On the contrary glass-ceramics (hereinafter indicated as GC) are vitreous systems that, when brought to a temperature T1 higher then their glass transition temperature Tg, present the formation of crystal nuclei (homogeneous or heterogeneous) with following crystal growth.

[0018] Porcelain stoneware (also defined as ceramic body having absorption </=0.5%, according to ISO 13006 annnex B1A) is a ceramic material prepared starting from natural crystalline products which, submitted to a syntherization process, partially melt and are transformed into new crystalline phases. This products are prepared starting from a mixture of clay minerals, fondents and possibly eutectic promoters. Glaze is a ceramic product consisting of fondents and silica based glasses which are grinded in granules of the wanted dimensions and thereafter applied on the appropriate substrate and heated so that the grinded granules melt (totally or partially) covering the substrate surface.

[0019] All the above said products, having a vitreous surface, confer impermeability and higher physico-chemical properties (better resistance to chemical agents, abrasion etc.) to porous substrates. Moreover they play a very important role as aesthetic materials due to the use of lead based fondents, opacifiers (represented by dispersions of, for example, tin oxide or zirconium silicate which are added in the form of crystals having a determined granulometric dimensions) and coloured pigments.

[0020] However the known materials do not completely satisfy the market needs in so far as the physico-chemical properties are concerned and also their opacization (and the consequent white index) is not always satisfactory giving final products which are aesthetically not suitable for the appropriate use; moreover the known processes for the production of glass-ceramics involve high costs and waste of energy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The invention solves the above said problems thanks to new glass-ceramic having the composition reported above.

[0022] The glass-ceramic according to the invention can be used as such in order to obtain ceramics or can be added to the materials usually employed for preparing porcelain stoneware or glazes.

[0023] The use of the glass-ceramics according to the invention allows (thanks to their “in situ” crystallization) to confer to glaze an exceptional opacization which results in an higher white index (WI) compared to that obtained with the normal opacifiers added to glass, moreover, thanks to the chemical stability and high mechanical resistance of the crystalline phase recrystallized on the glaze surface, they confer to the substrate physico-chemical properties higher then those of the traditional glazes.

[0024] The glass-ceramics according to the invention allow also the preparation of ceramics directly from the melted mass which can be shaped in the desired form or the preparation of the wanted ceramic items by tape casting of slurries or hot and cold pressing of the powders.

[0025] In the following TABLE I preferred glass-ceramic according to the invention are reported (the percentage of the components is given in weight):

TABLE 1
Comp.	SiO2	CaO	ZrO2	BaO	ZnO	MgO	Al2O3	B2O3
GC.1	55	33	12
GC.2	52.5	31.3	16.2
GC.3	55	21	12	12
GC.4	52.3	21.9	16.4		9.4
GC.5	55	11	12	11		11
GC.6	51.6				39.7		8.7
GC.7	37.8	17.63		37.98			6.59
GC.8	47.95	23.55				9.3	19.2
GC.9	41	0.5			30		20.5	8
GC.10	36.77			47.05		9.75	6.43
GC.11	61	24					15

[0026] The glass-ceramics according to the present invention can be prepared according to a process which is substantially similar to the one followed for the production of porcelain stoneware consisting in the grinding/mixing/pressing (and following firing of the pressed materials) of powders with the difference that in this case the powders consists only of glass (i.e. they lack the crystalline starting materials used for the production of porcelain stoneware).

[0027] However, it is essential that the firing step is performed according to well defined and controlled thermic cycles in order to develop the wanted properties.

[0028] In particular, once the Tg (transition temperature) and the Tc (crystallization temperature/s) of the material are determined (according to usual methods) the thermic cycle must be performed as follows:

[0029] starting from room temperature the powder mixture is heated increasing the temperature by 10°-30° C. per minute up to 350° C. (in order to eliminate the organic impurities according to usual processes) thereafter the heating temperature is increased by 10°-30° C. per minute up to the Tg maintaining the temperature at this value for 0-120′, thereafter the temperature is increased by 10°-30° C. per minute up to the Tc were it is maintained for 0-several hours, for example up to seven hours, preferably for 0-4 hours, and possibly increased by 10°-30° C. up to the next Tc and so on up to the final Tc; once completed the heating (i.e. once the highest Tc has been reached) the mass is cooled down to room temperature.

[0030] As above said the glass-ceramics according to the invention can be added to the materials normally used for the production of porcelain stoneware; the adding of the glass-ceramics according to the invention allows the production of ceramics via the process normally used for the production of porcelain stoneware this resulting in an important saving of energy.

[0031] For example a glass-ceramic according to the invention is added to a traditional mixture of starting materials for the production of porcelain stoneware; the mixture is is loaded in a Alsing ball-mill (continuous or discontinuous) and grinded in the presence of water to give a slurry which is dried in an atomizer forming hollow grains. The grains are shaped in the form of tiles by traditional pressing. The tiles are dried and fired in a traditional furnace at 900°-1230° C. giving the final product. The obtained tiles are constituted of syntherized and crystallized materials and a residual vitreous phase as demonstrated by mineral and X-ray analysis of the tile surface.

[0032] Preferably the glass-ceramics according to the invention are added to the traditional materials in a quantity comprised between 5% and 65% (in weight). In TABLE 2 it is reported (expressed in metal oxide percentage in weight) an example of the composition of a mixture of starting materials which is added to the glass-ceramics of the present invention in the above reported quantities:

TABLE 2
SiO2  40-80
Al2O3 5-40
MgO   0.1-10
CaO   0.1-10
Na2O  0.1-10
K2O   0.1-10

[0033] In this connection it was surprisingly found, and it is another object of the present invention, that also other glass-ceramics, already known “per se”, can be added to the traditional starting materials for production of porcelain stoneware giving similar advantageous results.

[0034] Examples of already known glass-ceramics (a-d) which can be used for the above said purpose are given in following TABLE 3 (the percentage is expressed in weight).

TABLE 3
Glass-
ceramic	SrO	Al2O3	SiO2	ZrO	K2O	MgO
a	30-40	25-30	30-45
b		40-50	10-25	30-40
c		15-25	60-70		10-20
d	20-25	10-25	45-55			5-15

[0035] The glazes can be produced via the processes traditionally used for the production of glazes. A glass-ceramic according to the invention and a starting material usually employed for the production of ceramic glazes (which are essentially the same reported for the preparation of porcelain stoneware with the addition of fondents like frits or borates or lead oxide etc.) were loaded in the appropriated proportions in a Alsing ball-mill in the presence of water and grinded to obtain a so called “glaze” which was applied by airbrush, threading die, bell or serigraphy on a traditional substrate, crude or biscuited, obtained by pressing of atomized or dry-grinded powders. The glaze, dried and/or granulated, can be deposited on the substrate surface by falling and fixed on the surface with appropriated ligants. The substrate is fired at 900°-1230° C. in a quick- or tunnel-furnace (continuous or discontinuous) giving the final product in which the glass-ceramic has induced a controlled crystallization. The glazed tiles so obtained present therefore a vitreous and a crystallized part which confer a very well defined microstructure as shown by SEM and X-rays diffractometry.

[0036] Preferably the glass-ceramics according to the invention are added to the traditional materials in a quantity comprised between 5% and 60% (in weight).

EXAMPLE 1

[0037] Preparation of porcelain stoneware (corresponding to example 2 in TABLE 4)

[0038] GC2 (50% of the total weight) is loaded in a discontinuous Alsing ball-mill together with the traditional starting materials (see ex.2 in TABLE 4) (50% of the total weight).

[0039] Water (up to 50% in weight of the material loaded) and 0.4% in weight of sodium tripolyphosphate (as fluidizer) are added.

[0040] The mixture is grinded until the slurry residue on a 63 micron sieve is 0.7-1% (in weight).

[0041] The slurry is poured into a tank under mechanical stirring and thereafter is spray dried leaving about 6% of water which is the ideal quantity for the following pressing operation.

[0042] The humid powder is pressed at 250-500 kg/cm2 in the wanted shapes and heated in a furnace at 1230° C.

[0043] By repeating the process described in Example 1 but using the products and the quantities indicated in the following TABLES 4-13 other porcelain stonewares were obtained; the glass-ceramics are indicated making reference to TABLE 1 and the quantities are expressed in % in weight:

TABLE 4
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	76.0	GC2	5	95
Al2O3	17.8
MgO	0.8
CaO	1.0
Na2O	2.3
K2O	2.1
SiO2	54.6	GC2	50	50
Al2O3	41.8
MgO	0.2
CaO	0.7
Na2O	0.4
K2O	2.3
SiO2	54.5	GC2	65	35
Al2O3	42.5
MgO	0.2
CaO	0.5
Na2O	0.3
K2O	2.0

[0044]

TABLE 5
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	73.5	GC3	5	95
Al2O3	18.1
MgO	0.8
CaO	1.0
Na2O	3.5
K2O	3.1
SiO2	84.0	GC3	50	50
Al2O3	10.3
MgO	0.3
CaO	0.7
Na2O	2.4
K2O	2.3
SiO2	56.3	GC3	65	35
Al2O3	39.5
MgO	0.3
CaO	0.6
Na2O	1.3
K2O	2.0

[0045]

TABLE 6
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	74.8	GC4	5	95
Al2O3	20.1
MgO	0.7
CaO	1.1
Na2O	1.2
K2O	2.1
SiO2	61.3	GC4	50	50
Al2O3	35.3
MgO	0.3
CaO	0.1
Na2O	1.2
K2O	1.8
SiO2	60.0	GC4	65	35
Al2O3	37.0
MgO	0.2
CaO	0.8
Na2O	1.0
K2O	1.0

[0046]

TABLE 7
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	72.2	GC5	5	95
Al2O3	18.5
MgO	0.9
CaO	1.3
Na2O	4.0
K2O	3.1
SiO2	81.5	GC5	50	50
Al2O3	12.0
MgO	0.2
CaO	1.0
Na2O	2.2
K2O	3.1
SiO2	58.5	GC5	65	35
Al2O3	37.3
MgO	0.3
CaO	0.6
Na2O	1.0
K2O	2.3

[0047]

TABLE 8
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	76.0	GC9	5	95
Al2O3	17.8
MgO	0.8
CaO	1.0
Na2O	2.3
K2O	2.1
SiO2	62.8	GC9	50	50
Al2O3	25.8
MgO	0.2
CaO	0.9
Na2O	7.1
K2O	3.2
SiO2	63.6	GC9	65	35
Al2O3	31.6
MgO	0.3
CaO	1.1
Na2O	1.0
K2O	2.4

[0048]

TABLE 9
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	75.9	GC6	5	95
Al2O3	17.7
MgO	0.8
CaO	1.0
Na2O	2.5
K2O	2.1
SiO2	72.8	GC6	50	50
Al2O3	10.1
MgO	6.7
CaO	0.2
Na2O	7.5
K2O	2.7
SiO2	67.0	GC6	65	35
Al2O3	20.0
MgO	2.2
CaO	0.4
Na2O	7.8
K2O	2.6

[0049]

TABLE 10
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	74.0	GC7	5	95
Al2O3	14.2
MgO	1.5
CaO	1.5
Na2O	4.2
K2O	4.6
SiO2	72.6	GC7	50	50
Al2O3	14.8
MgO	1.3
CaO	2.0
Na2O	9.0
K2O	0.3
SiO2	65.9	GC7	65	35
Al2O3	23.6
MgO	0.2
CaO	0.9
Na2O	9.1
K2O	0.3

[0050]

TABLE 11
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	74.3	GC8	5	95
Al2O3	15.8
MgO	1.5
CaO	2.2
Na2O	3.7
K2O	2.5
SiO2	68.0	GC8	50	50
Al2O3	26.8
MgO	2.2
CaO	0.4
Na2O	1.0
K2O	1.6
SiO2	67.0	GC8	65	35
Al2O3	28.0
MgO	1.8
CaO	1.2
Na2O	0.3
K2O	1.7

[0051]

TABLE 12
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	74.0	GC10	5	95
Al2O3	17.6
MgO	1.8
CaO	1.4
Na2O	3.7
K2O	1.5
SiO2	69.0	GC10	50	50
Al2O3	26.8
MgO	1.2
CaO	0.4
Na2O	1.0
K2O	1.6
SiO2	67.9	GC10	65	35
Al2O3	28.5
MgO	1.0
CaO	1.1
Na2O	0.4
K2O	1.1

[0052]

TABLE 13
	Glass-ceramics
	according to	% Glass-	% Traditional
Traditional Materials	invention	ceramics	materials
SiO2	78.0	GC11	5	95
Al2O3	10.8
MgO	2.2
CaO	0.4
Na2O	6.0
K2O	2.6
SiO2	70.1	GC11	50	50
Al2O3	14.9
MgO	8.7
CaO	0.1
Na2O	4.3
K2O	1.9
SiO2	69.0	GC11	65	35
Al2O3	27.0
MgO	1.0
CaO	1.1
Na2O	1.0
K2O	0.9

EXAMPLE 2

[0053] Preparation of glazes (corresponding to Example 1 in TABLE 14)

[0054] GC2 (30% in weight) was loaded in a discontinuous Alsing ball-mill together with the traditional starting materials (see Ex.1 in TABLE 14) (50% of the total weight). Water (up to 50% in weight of the total material loaded), sodium tripolyphosphate (as fluidizer) (0.4% in weight) and hydroxymethylcellulose (0.3%) (as ligant) are added.

[0055] The mixture is grinded until the slurry residue on a 16000 micron sieve is about 2% (in weight).

[0056] The slurry is bell applied (500 g-2.5 Kg) on a pressed substrate which is heated in a furnace at 1160° C.

[0057] By repeating the process-described in Example 2 but using the products indicated in the following TABLES 14-23 other glazes were prepared; the glass-ceramics are indicated making reference to TABLE 1 and the quantities are expressed in % in weight.

[0058] In each TABLE are reported the starting materials and the corresponding quantities for the preparation of two different glazes (indicated as Glaze I and Glaze II) starting from the same glass-ceramic according to the invention and the same traditional starting compounds but using different quantities of the same.

	TABLE 14
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or
	frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC2	30	50
	SiO2	54.0		70	50
	Al2O3	33.0
	MgO	0.3
	CaO	0.7
	Na2O	8.0
	K2O	4.0

[0059]

	TABLE 15
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC3	30	50
	SiO2	60.0		70	50
	Al2O3	31.8
	MgO	0.2
	CaO	0.8
	Na2O	6.2
	K2O	1.0

[0060]

	TABLE 16
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC4	30	50
	SiO2	60.0		70	50
	Al2O3	31.2
	MgO	0.4
	CaO	0.8
	Na2O	6.0
	K2O	1.6

[0061]

	TABLE 17
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC5	30	50
	SiO2	60.0		70	50
	Al2O3	28.0
	MgO	0.0
	CaO	5.0
	Na2O	3.0
	K2O	2.0
	SnO2	2.0

[0062]

	TABLE 18
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC9	30	50
	SiO2	58.0		70	50
	Al2O3	18.0
	MgO	2.5
	CaO	10.5
	Na2O	6.0
	K2O	5.0

[0063]

	TABLE 19
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC6	30	50
	SiO2	59.0		70	50
	Al2O3	10.0
	MgO	1.0
	CaO	7.0
	Na2O	8.0
	K2O	3.0
	ZrO2	12.0

[0064]

	TABLE 20
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC7	30	50
	SiO2	60.0		70	50
	Al2O3	17.1
	MgO	2.4
	Na2O	6.2
	K2O	4.3
	ZrO2	8.0
	TiO2	2.0

[0065]

	TABLE 21
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC8	30	50
	SiO2	54.0		70	50
	Al2O3	26.0
	MgO	0.1
	CaO	8.5
	Na2O	11.0
	K2O	0.2
	TiO2	0.2

[0066]

	TABLE 22
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC10	30	50
	SiO2	62.0		70	50
	Al2O3	6.3
	MgO	1.3
	CaO	14.0
	Na2O	0.5
	K2O	5.6
	ZnO	10.3

[0067]

	TABLE 23
	Traditional starting
	materials and/or frits	Glass-ceramic	Glaze I	Glaze II
			GC11	30	50
	SiO2	50.0		70	50
	Al2O3	25.0
	MgO	10.0
	Na2O	7.0
	K2O	6.0
	TiO2	2.0

EXAMPLE 3

[0068] Preparation of Glass-ceramic

[0069] In this case the powder is prepared according to Example 1 but only GC2 is used. The tile according to Example 1 is prepared applying the thermic cycle C1 reported in TABLE 24 wherein the Tg and the Tc1 and Tc2 of the starting materials (GC2) are also indicated.

[0070] In TABLE 25 thermic cycles for the preparation of compound GC8 are reported; the Tg and Tc of GC8 are also indicated.

[0071] All the Glass-ceramics obtained via the described processes showed a typical superficial micro-structure presenting several crystalline and vitreous phases.

TABLE 24
GC 2 Starting product
Tg = 825° C.
Tc1 = 966° C.
Tc2 = 1025° C.
Thermic cycles applied:
B1	C1	C2
Step	total Time	T	Step	Total Time		Step	Total Time
min	(min)	(° C.)	min	1 (min)	T (° C.)	min	(mm)	T (° C.)
0	0	25	0	0	25	0	0	25
35	35	350	35	35	350	35	35	350
30	65	350	30	65	350	30	65	350
55	120	900	55	120	900	55	120	900
30	150	900	30	150	900	30	150	900
8	158	980	8	158	980	25	175	1150
30	188	980	30	188	980	30	205	1150
17	205	1150	22	210	1200	30	205	1150
30	235	1150	30	240	1200

[0072]

TABLE 25
GC8 starting product
Tg:	740° C.
Tc	934° C.
Thermic cycles applied:
B1	C1	C2
Step	Total Time	T	Step	Total Time		Step	Total Time
min	(min)	(° C.)	min	1 (min)	T (° C.)	min	(min)	T (° C.)
0	0	25	0	0	25	0	0	25
35	35	350	35	35	350	35	35	350
30	65	350	30	65	350	30	65	350
44	109	790	44	109	790	44	109	790
30	139	790	30	139	790	30	139	790
16	155	950	26	165	1050	36	175	1150
30	185	950	30	195	1050	30	205	1150

Claims

1. Glass-ceramics consisting of the mixture (I) or (II): (I) ZrO2—SiO2—MeIIO (II) SiO2—Me2IIIO2—MeIIO wherein in mixture (I): MeII is chosen in the group consisting of: Ca, Ba, Mg, Zn or mixtures thereof and the percentage (in weight) for each component is: ZrO2=5-25% SiO2=45-75% MeIIO=15-45% and in mixture (II): MeII is as above defined; MeIII is chosen in the group consisting of: Al, B or mixtures thereof and the percentage (in weight) for each of the above said components is: SiO2=30-65% Me2IIIO3=5-25% MeIIO=5-40%

2. Glass-ceramics according to claim 1 having the following composition (% in weight):

3. Process for the preparation of glass ceramics according to claims 1 and 2 wherein:

4. Porcelain stoneware consisting of a glass-ceramic according to claim 1 and a traditional mixture of compounds used in the production of porcelain stoneware.

5. Porcelain stoneware according to claim 4 wherein the glass-ceramic according to claim 1 represent the 5% -65% in weight of the total weight.

6. Porcelain stoneware according to claim 5 wherein the traditional mixture shows the following composition (in weight):

7. Porcelain stoneware consisting of a glass ceramic (a-d) having the following composition (in weight):

8. Porcelain stoneware consisting of the following compositions (in weight):

9. Ceramic glazes consisting of a glass-ceramic according to claim 1 and a traditional mixture of compounds used in the production of glazes.

10. Ceramic glazes according to claim 9 consisting of the following compositions (in weight):

11. Ceramic materials consisting of the products claimed in claims 1, 4 and 9.