Abstract
The composition of base glass was selected as MgO 8, Al2O3 24, SiO2 68 in weight percent. TiO2 and ZrO2 were added to the base glass to investigate their effects as nucleating agents. In the case of ZrO2 addition, the optimum temperature for nucleation, which was related to the precipitation of tetragonal ZrO2, was 80$0^{\circ}C$. The optimum growth condition for the crystal was 87$0^{\circ}C$ for 8 hrs, and the major crystal phases precipitated in the samples were $\beta$-quartz ss. and mullite. The light transmissivity turned out to be around 80 per cent. On the other hand, when the TiO2 was added, it was difficult to determine the nucleating temperature, because the samples turned easily into translucency during the heat treatment. Therefore, it was almost impossible to retain transparency in the samples. The light transmissivity was below 30 per cent.
