Characteristics of micro-gold-particle/glass-ceramic composite from post-sintering thermal treatment

Microstructural characteristics of a gold-particle (GP)-reinforced glass-ceramic (GC) composite at the GP/GC interface were investigated before and after heat treatment at 900, 1100 and 1300 °C. The interfacial regions between the GP and GC exposed on the fracture surface and relevant chemical reactions were examined. The as-processed GC matrix had a nano-scaled biphasic microstructure, with isolated amorphous leucite phase evenly distributed in the continuous feldspar matrix. After the GP/GC composite was heated at 900 °C, the amorphous leucite phases were transformed into leucite crystalline phases. Au 2 Si and Au 5 Si 2 found at the GP/GC interface proved that chemical reactions had indeed occurred during composite processing. Fracture surface features around the GP and GP/GC interface were further examined after heat treatment at 1100 °C and 1300 °C, showing new compounds were produced during the process. Characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), incorporating X-ray microanalysis using Energy-Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS), were employed to study the GP/GC interface.