The Si-O bonding in Na2O-TiO-SiO2 and K2O-TiO2-SiO2 glasses as studied by SiKβ X-ray fluorescence and infra-red absorption spectroscopy

The SiKβ fluorescence X-ray and infra-red absorption spectra of Na₂O-TiO₂-SiO₂ and K₂O-TiO₂-SiO₂ glasses have been measured in order to study the Si-O bonding as a function of the composition of glass. The chemical shifts of the SiKβ peak relative to that of silica glass Δλ=λ(SiO₂)-λ(specimen)>0] and the wavenumbers of the infra-red absorption peaks around 950cm⁻¹ and 1100 cm⁻¹ have been determined from the spectra. The SiKβ chemical shift in both series of glasses increased with increasing total content of R₂O and TiO₂ and with decreasing ratio of TiO₂/(K₂O+TiO₂), where R₂O represents Na₂O or K₂O. The infra-red peaks around 950 cm⁻¹ and 1100 cm⁻¹ shifted towards lower wavenumbers with increasing total content of R₂O and TiO₂ and with decreasing ratio of TiO₂/(R₂O+TiO₂). These experimental facts were interpreted as showing that the Si-O bond in glass was weakened as the total content of R₂O and TiO₂ increased and that the Si-O bond was weakened by R₂O more than by TiO₂.