Barium aluminosilicate (BAS) glass-ceramics were prepared by hot-press
ing BAS glass powder derived via the sol-gel method, and the microstru
cture and properties were studied. Through control of composition, BAS
glass-ceramics with two different types of microstructure were obtain
ed. One is a sub-micrometre celsian surrounded by a thin layer of glas
sy phase, and the other is a celsian-mullite composite microstructure.
BAS glass-ceramics with the celsian-mullite composite microstructure
have a strength of 204 M Pa and a creep rate of less than or equal to
1.03x10(-4) h(-1) at 1250 degrees C. After heat treatment at 1250 degr
ees C for 100 h, no significant change of the microstructure was found
, and the high-temperature strength did not decrease greatly. The BAS
glass-ceramics prove to be a potentially good matrix for fibre- or whi
sker-reinforced composites for high-temperature applications.