Abstract
Crystallization phenomena of glasses of fused natural basalt rocks were studied by DTA, X-ray phase analysis, electron microscopy, and other techniques. Crystallization was catalyzed by the addition of either chromite ore or $P_2O_5$, both up to 5 wt %. Various heat treatments were used, and their influences on controlling the microstructures and properties of the products were studied to develop high strength glass-ceramic material of the $CaO-Al_2O_3(Fe_2O_3)-MgO(FeO)-SiO_2$ system from the domestic basalts. Magnetite precipitates were found to be a nucleation initiator in every case of the crystallization. Diopside, anorthite, clinoenstatite and monticellite were identified as silicate crystalline phases contained in the crystallized products. The crystallite size was in the range of 0.1-2.5$\mu\textrm{m}$. The fine crystallites were approximately cubic, but large crystallites were either plate or needle shape. The thermal expansion coefficient, microhardness and modulus of rupture of glass-ceramics were ranged from 78.5 to 81.8$\times$10-7 cm/cm/$^{\circ}C$, from 820 to 930kg/$\textrm{mm}^2$, and from 1800 to 2800kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$, respectively.