Transformation of tridymite to cristobalite below 1470° C in silica refractories

Abstract

Because silica refractory has good volume stability and creep properties at high temperature, it has been used in several furnaces. However, silica has three polymorphs (quartz, tridymite and cristobalite) and each polymorph has anα-β type transformation. It is known that cristobalite is the stable phase of silica between 1470° C and the melting point of silica refractories. However, sometimes cristobalite was found in silica refractories used in the stable temperature region of tridymite. Therefore, the cause and mechanism of this tridymite-to-cristobalite transformation below 1470° C was studied. Although the transformation temperature of tridymite to cristobalite was also 1470° C in the sample used in this research, it decreased on addition of Al₂O₃. The apparent activation energy of the tridymite-to-cristobalite transformation was found to be 787 kJ mol⁻¹ above 1470° C and 176 kJ mol⁻¹ below 1470° C with Al₂O₃ by measuring the transformation rate. It was also observed using EPIVIA that the tridymite included CaO; however, CaO and Al₂O₃ were located on the outside of the cristobalite which was produced below 1470°C. Therefore, it is supposed that the liquid phase was produced by the penetration of Al₂O₃, and impurities in the tridymite crystal diffused outside and then silica was precipitated as cristobalite.