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This study demonstrates that the physical properties of amorphous materials can be effectively modulated by superheated steam and that inorganic glass, as an inorganic polymer, serves as a valuable model system for investigating thermal behavior that is not readily accessible in organic polymers. To elucidate the effects of superheated steam on glass transition and crystallization, powder compacts and plate-shaped CaO–Al2O3–SiO2 (CAS) glass specimens—with a primary composition of 28.6CaO–12.6Al2O3–58.8SiO2 in mol% and well-characterized crystallization behavior—were calcined at 800–1050°C under superheated steam. Thermal analysis of the powder specimens revealed that the onset temperature of the glass transition decreased by 60°C, and the first and second crystallization steps were lowered by 25 and 15°C, respectively, under superheated steam. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that reflections from surface crystalline phases such as anorthite, wollastonite, and cristobalite appeared at lower temperatures. Additionally, photographs and scanning electron microscopy revealed an increase in the thickness of the surface crystalline layer, indicating enhanced surface crystallization under superheated steam. These results demonstrate that superheated steam promotes surface-accelerated amorphous-to-crystalline transitions of amorphous materials, as demonstrated using the CAS glass as an aluminosilicate inorganic polymer.

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Keyword: superheated steam, inorganic glass

Date published: 2025-08-07

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

Journal:

• CRYSTENGCOMM (ISSN: 14668033) vol. 27 p. 6146-6154

Funding:

Manuscript type: Author's original (Submitted manuscript)

MDR DOI: https://doi.org/10.48505/nims.5777

First published URL: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5CE00569H

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Updated at: 2025-09-25 16:30:21 +0900

Published on MDR: 2025-09-25 16:20:19 +0900