Impact of SnO addition on crystallization of ZnO in multicomponent glass-ceramics: Morphological control and photoluminescent property

Abstract We fabricated glass-ceramics (GCs) crystallized with ZnO by utilizing an alumino-borosilicate glass rich in ZnO as a precursor. We hypothesized that SnO addition into the precursor glass could control the formation of Zn-enriched regions, stemming from nanometric inhomogeneities. This study explores the relationship between the amount of SnO and the morphology of the ZnO phase. The addition of SnO led to the crystallization of rod-shaped ZnO whose dimensions decreased significantly with increased SnO content. Microscopic observations indicated a reduction in the size of the Zn-enriched regions due to SnO addition, confirming the controllability of the crystallized ZnO phase’s morphology/size. We also examined the photoluminescent properties of the resulting GCs.