Silicate Glasses and Glass–Ceramics: Types, Role of Composition and Processing Methods

Glass has been a versatile and fascinating material since the early stages of civilization. The aesthetic and functional properties of glasses are mainly dictated by the composition, which in most cases is a mixture of inorganic oxides and can be properly designed according to the end use. Glass–ceramics are polycrystalline materials produced by the controlled crystallization of certain parent glasses and contain one or more crystalline phases embedded in a residual amorphous matrix. The distinct chemical nature and microstructural features of these phases have led to various combinations of properties and applications in many industrial, medical and high-tech fields. This chapter introduces the reader into the “mystery of glass”, providing a picture of the structural theories, formation criteria and main processing methods for glass and glass–ceramic products with focus on a selected set of silicate materials.