EGU25-10314, updated on 15 Mar 2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10314
EGU General Assembly 2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Oral | Thursday, 01 May, 11:35–11:45 (CEST)
 
Room K1
Nanocrystal Nucleation and Growth in Basaltic Glass: Implications for Mechanical Properties and Crystallization Pathways
Sonia La Felice1, Gian Carlo Capitani2, Rajat Chaudary3, Daniele Giordano4,1, Mattia Biesuz3, Nicola Daldosso5, and Michele Cassetta4,5,1
Sonia La Felice et al.
  • 1CNR-IGG, Istitute of Geoscience and Georesource, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa, Italy (sonia.lafelice@igg.cnr.it)
  • 2Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 4, 20126, Milano, Italy
  • 3Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
  • 4Department of Earth Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
  • 5Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

This study investigates the nucleation and growth of nanometric crystals within basaltic glass to understand their impact on the mechanical properties of the host medium. Our findings reveal that the evolution of the crystalline mass is far more complex than previously anticipated. Samples subjected to different thermal treatments—single ramp heating versus double-step annealing—exhibited dramatically enhanced toughness. These variations underscore the critical role of crystallization pathways in defining the mechanical performance of the material. Using advanced characterization techniques, including Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), we analyzed the interplay between nanocrystals, gas bubbles, and cracks within the remelted volcanic rock samples. Our results have implications for understanding the rheological evolution of volcanic systems during eruptions and for optimizing industrial processes in glass ceramics. This work sheds light on how nanocrystal formation and growth can significantly modify both natural and engineered materials. 

Contribution of PRIN2022PXHTXM- STONE project, funded by EU - NextGeneration, PNRR-M4C2- CUP: D53D23004840006

How to cite: La Felice, S., Capitani, G. C., Chaudary, R., Giordano, D., Biesuz, M., Daldosso, N., and Cassetta, M.: Nanocrystal Nucleation and Growth in Basaltic Glass: Implications for Mechanical Properties and Crystallization Pathways, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10314, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10314, 2025.