Optical properties of ternary zinc magnesium phosphate glasses

Ternary phosphate glasses of the system (ZnO)₃₀(MgO)_x(P₂O₅)_70−x with x ranging from 5 to 20 mol% were prepared by melt quenching technique. The optical absorption spectra of these glasses were measured at room temperature in the wavelength range between 190 and 1100 nm while the refractive index at wavelength 632.8 nm. The optical absorption indicates that the electronic transition is indirect and associated with phonon-assisted transition. From the absorption spectra, the optical energy band gap (E_opt) and Urbach energy (E_U) values for all the glass samples were calculated from their ultraviolet edges. The values of E_opt is found to increase from 3.36 to 3.44 eV and values of E_U decrease from 0.47 to 0.29 eV with the increase of MgO content. Variation in these optical parameters, density and molar volume is discussed and correlated with the structural changes within the glassy matrix.     

An Upconversion Niobium Pentoxide Bulk Glass Codoped with Er3+/Yb3+ Fabricated by Aerodynamic Levitation Method

(82?x)NbO_2.5–17.4LaO_1.5–xZrO₂(NLZ) (x = 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, and 20) bulk glasses codoped with Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ were successfully fabricated by aerodynamic levitation method for the first time. The structure, thermal stability, and luminescent properties of the samples were investigated systemically by XRD, differential scanning calorimetry, and upconversion spectra. Under 980 nm laser excitation, all samples exhibited green and red upconversion emissions centered at 531, 546, and 674 nm. Results showed that the sample with 15 mol% ZrO₂ obtained the most efficient upconversion luminescence and good thermal stability with the glass‐transition temperature as high as 743 °C. The effect of the addition of ZrO₂ on the structure behavior and the phonon density in the glass was investigated by Raman spectra, which are the key factors for the upconversion luminescence intensity.     

Impact of TeO2–B2O3 manipulation on physical,structural, optical and radiation shielding properties of Ho/Yb codoped mixed glass former borotellurite glass

In this work, (75-x)B₂O₃-xTeO₂-11Bi₂O₃–10Li₂O-1Ho₂O₃-3Yb₂O₃ (x = 10–60 mol%) mixed glass former (MGF) glasses were prepared by using the melt-quenching method to investigate the effect of mixed glass former between B₂O₃ and TeO₂ on the structural, optical and radiation shielding properties of glass. The amorphous nature of the glass samples was confirmed through XRD measurement. Optical ultraviolet–visible light (UV–Vis) spectroscopy revealed that the direct and indirect optical band gap (E_opt) decreased as TeO₂ content increased except for the anomaly at x = 30 mol% due to the interchanging dominance of bridging oxygen (BO) and non-bridging oxygen (NBO) in the glass network. Both direct and indirect refractive indices, n posted an increment except for x = 30 mol% due to polarizability influence of BO and NBO. Urbach energy, E_u declined thus indicating lesser disorder and less defects on the glass structure. The radiation shielding properties of the glass samples were determined for 15 keV–15 MeV photon energy range by using Phy-X/PSD software. Atomic number-dependent parameters such as mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) and effective atomic number (Z_eff) demonstrated an enhanced performances caused by higher Z of Te over B. Meanwhile, density-dependent parameters such as linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), mean-free path (MFP), half-value layer (HVL) and tenth-value layer (TVL) all exhibited an improvement over TeO₂ concentration due to higher density data obtained.     

Preparation and properties of Ge–Ga–La–S–AgI chalcogenide glass

Chalcogenide glasses of 65GeS₂–(25–x)Ga₂S₃–10AgI–xLa₂S₃ (x=0, 1, 3, and 5 mol%) were fabricated through the traditional melt-quenching method. The effects of addition of La₂S₃ on physical, thermal and optical properties of the glass system were investigated. The results showed that the fabricated glasses possess considerably high glass transition temperature, exhibit improved mechanical property and excellent infrared transmission. A redshift at the visible absorbing cut-off edge is observed with increasing of La₂S₃ content. The direct and indirect optical band gap values are also calculated. Raman spectra analysis indicated that the band at 265 cm⁻¹ decreased in amplitude and a new peak at 230 cm⁻¹ was detected manifesting the formation of La-S bond in the network. In addition, the mid-infrared emission at 3.74 µm of the glasses doped with Tm³⁺ ions was achieved. The results indicated that the glasses are promising materials for mid-infrared applications such as imaging, remote sensing and lasers.     

Synthesis,physical, optical,structural and radiation shielding characterization of borate glasses: A focus on the role of SrO/Al2O3 substitution

In a bid to expand the amount of information available on glass systems and their potential applications for radiation shielding design, glass samples with the compositions (30-x)SrO-xAl₂O₃–68B₂O₃–2V₂O₅(x = 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5&15 mol %) coded as SABV0 - 4 were prepared by the melt-quenching technique and analyzed for their optical, structural, physical, and radiation shielding features. The glassy (amorphous) nature of the SABV glass samples was affirmed by broad peaks of X-ray diffraction spectra. Calculated values of density and molar volume shown opposite behavior and the variation of these values were discussed as structural modifications in the glass matrix. From recorded optical absorption spectra optical band gap energy (Eg)-indirect transition, Urbach energy and optical basicity were estimated. FTIR spectra were recorded for all the samples in the range 400 cm^?1 to 4000 cm^?1. The FTIR absorbance spectra unveiled the SABV network structure mainly incorporating of BO₃ and BO₄ units. Raman spectroscopy is achieved to detect the structural changes and at higher wavenumber, B–O stretching modes in [BO₃] observed with one or two NBO's. The results of ESR spectra of glasses have indicated the highly covalent environment of vanadium ions. Analysis of the photon shielding parameters of the glasses which were obtained primarily from FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations and XCOM computations revealed photon energy and glass chemical composition dependence. The mass attenuation coefficient and effective atomic number ranged from 0.2668 to 0.3385 cm²g^-1 and 12.98–15.93 accordingly as the weight fraction of Sr increased from 16.06 to 26.72% in the glasses. Generally, photon shielding ability of the SABV glasses follows the trend: SABV0 > SABV1 > SABV2 > SABV3 > SABV4. The thermal neutron total cross section follows the same trend with values fluctuating between 71.9553 and 80.6268 cm^?1. However, SABV1 showed superior fast neutron moderating capacity among the glasses. The present SABV glasses showed outstanding photon shielding ability compared to common shields. The prepared glasses are thus suitable candidates for radiation protection applications.     

Preparation and properties of a high-entropy amorphous oxide with high refractive index by containerless solidification

A non-proportional high-entropy oxide glass disc: 25LaO_3/2-25TiO₂–25NbO_5/2-(25-x) WO₃-xZrO₂(x = 0, 5, 10) was formed using containerless solidification technology. In optical tests, the 25LaO_3/2-25TiO₂–25NbO_5/2-20WO₃–5ZrO₂(x = 5) disc had the highest refractive index (2.53) and the highest visible transmittance (84%). In addition, the refractive index of amorphous materials prepared from La₂O₃, TiO₂, Nb₂O₅, WO_3, and ZrO₂ were all greater than 2.1, which is considered as a high refractive index. The results suggest that these components can provide a specific reference for optical glass material selection in future research.Furthermore, based on the concept of performance synergy in high-entropy materials, our research group developed a high-entropy amorphous oxide in equal proportion, 20LaO_3/2-20TiO₂–20NbO_5/2-20WO₃–20ZrO₂ (Qi Xiwei, 2019). The structure has a high refractive index (2.22) and a high Abbe coefficient (61), which ensures that the lens has sufficient clarity when it is ultra-thin. By comparing the results of the two systems, we found that all non-proportional high-entropy systems are unable to simultaneously show both a high Abbe value and a high refractive index. This phenomenon further indicates the necessity of preparing high-entropy amorphous oxide in equal proportion.     

Effect of gallium addition on physical and structural properties of Ge–S chalcogenide glasses

GeS_2.5 chalcogenide glass was selected for studying effects of Ga addition on physical and structural properties. Glassy and partially crystallized samples of (100−x)GeS_2.5−xGa (5 mol% ≤ x ≤ 40 mol%) were prepared, and their thermal and optical properties were characterized. With increasing Ga content (x), values of T_g and optical band gap of glasses initially increased and then decreased, showing a maximal value at x = 25 mol%, that is, with stoichiometric composition of 85.7GeS₂·14.3Ga₂S₃. These changes were discussed and correlated to evolution of network structure, which was investigated by Raman spectra recorded in glassy matrices of (100−x)GeS_2.5−xGa (5 mol% ≤ x ≤ 40 mol%). This work contributes to understanding of composition–structure–property relationship of chalcogenide glasses.     

Microstructural characterization and crystallization kinetics of (1 − x)TeO2–xK2O (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 mol) glasses

Microstructural characterization and crystallization kinetics of (1 − x)TeO₂–xK₂O (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 in molar ratio) glasses were investigated using DTA, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy and SEM techniques. Whereas only one exothermic peak was observed for the 0.95TeO₂–0.05K₂O and 0.90TeO₂–0.10K₂O glasses, two crystallization peaks were present on the DTA plots of the 0.85TeO₂–0.15K₂O and 0.80TeO₂–0.20K₂O glasses. On the basis of the XRD and Raman spectrophometry investigations, α-TeO₂, γ-TeO₂ and K₂Te₄O₉ crystal phases were present in the (1 − x)TeO₂–xK₂O (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 in molar ratio) glass samples heated above the peak crystallization temperatures, T_p. SEM/EDS investigations of (1 − x)TeO₂–xK₂O (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 in molar ratio) glasses heated above T_p revealed the presence of distinct TeO₂-rich and K₂Te₄O₉ in the 0.95TeO₂–0.05K₂O and triangular wedge-shaped crystalline regions in the 0.90TeO₂–0.10K₂O, 0.85TeO₂–0.15K₂O and 0.80TeO₂–0.20K₂O glasses. DTA analyses were carried out at different heating rates and the Avrami constant for the 0.95TeO₂–0.05K₂O glass was calculated as 0.94, an indication of surface crystallization also confirming SEM results. On the other hand, the n values were between 1.7 and 1.87 for the exothermic peaks of the 0.80TeO₂–0.10K₂O, 0.85TeO₂–0.15K₂O and 0.80TeO₂–0.20K₂O glasses, indicating one-dimensional crystalline growth mechanisms for these glasses. Activation energies for one-dimensional crystal growth mechanisms in these crystals determined from the modified Kissinger plots were found to vary between 550 and 650 kJ/mol.     

Investigation of europium-doped aluminium phosphate glass for red light generation

Europium doped phosphate glasses (KPEu) with various concentrations of Eu₂O₃ were prepared by a melt-quenching method for red light application. The prepared samples were characterized using physical, absorption, photoluminescence, X-ray induced luminescence (XEL) and J-O analysis techniques. Density, molar volume and refractive index of the investigated glasses increased with increasing concentration of Eu₂O₃. Eight absorption peaks were observed, with six peaks in the visible region (350–550) nm and two in the infrared region (2000–2200). Four emission peaks were observed in the visible region when the glass was excited at 394 nm. Judd-Ofelt (JO) intensity parameters (Ω_λ λ = 2, 4, 6) were determined using the JO-theory for the prepared glass samples. The radiative properties of the glasses were determined using JO-parameter, refractive index and emission spectra. The trend of JO parameters for the present KPEu₆ glass sample were Ω₂ > Ω₄ > Ω₆. These glasses also showed higher branching ratios and stimulated emission cross section (σ_e) values, making these suitable for red laser applications. XEL showed the same peaks and trend as emission spectra but its peaks were shifted and had high intensity. The luminescence colours of these glass samples entirely fall in the reddish orange region (x = 0.653–0.654, y = 0.346–0.347) as confirmed by CIE 1931 diagram. The CCT values of the prepared glass samples were in the range of 2394–2431 K.     

Structural and photoluminescence properties of Dy-doped nanocrystalline ZrO2 for optoelectronics application

Nanocrystalline Dy³⁺ doped ZrO₂ sample has been synthesized using sol-gel wet chemical method. The sample has been investigated for structural, thermal, and photoluminescence properties employing X-ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, and Photo-Luminescence characterization techniques, respectively. The Rietveld refinement of XRD data reveals cubic phase (lattice constant = 5.138 Å) of doped-ZrO₂ nano-crystals with space group Fm-3m. The average crystallite size and micro-strain are estimated as 46.21 nm and 0.0047, respectively, from Williamson-hall (W–H) plot analysis. FT-IR spectroscopy confirms the existence of Zr–O vibration modes of ZrO₂ phase. The optical band gap of Dy-doped ZrO₂ sample is found as 5.3 eV which is analogous to other reports. Photo-Luminescence result shows that the Dy doped-zirconia contains three significant characteristic peaks at 484, 583 and 678 nm under the excitation of a wavelength of 350 nm. Those peaks attribute to the electronic transition of Dy ions. The obtained CIE chromaticity coordinate of doped ZrO₂ is (0.337, 0.335) representing neutral white light. The findings of this work implies application of doped zirconia in the area of optoelectronic devices.     

Stable anatase phase with a bandgap in visible light region by a charge compensated Ga–V (1:1) co-doping in TiO2

A series of charge compensated Ga–V co-doped TiO₂ samples (Ti_(1-x)(Ga_0.5V_0.5)_xO₂) have been synthesized by a modified sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction pattern shows that the anatase to rutile (A→R) onset temperature (T_O) shifts to a higher temperature, whereas the complete phase transformation temperature (T_C) shifts to a low-temperature region as compared to pure TiO₂, due to Ga–V incorporation. Ga–V co-doping helps in the transformation of some smaller sized Ti⁴⁺ to a relatively larger Ti³⁺. In the anatase phase, oxygen content also increases with increasing doping concentration, which along with the larger size of Ti³⁺ results in lattice expansion and thereby delays the T_O. In the rutile phase, oxygen vacancy increases with increasing doping concentration, which results in lattice contraction and accelerates phase transition. Grain growth process is hindered in the anatase phase (crystallites size reduces from ~15 nm (x = 0.00) to 8 nm (0.10)), whereas it is accelerated in the rutile phase as compared to pure TiO₂. In both phases bandgap (E_g) reduces to the visible light region (anatase: E_g = 3.16 eV (x = 0.00) to 2.19 eV (x = 0.10) and rutile: 3.08 eV (x = 0.00) to 2.18 eV (x = 0.10)) in all co-doped samples. The tail of the absorption edge reveals lattice distortion and increase of Urbach energy proofs the same due to co-doping. All these changes (grain growth, phase transition, and optical properties) are due to lattice distortion created by the combined effect of substitution, interstitials, and oxygen vacancies due to Ga–V incorporation in TiO₂.     

Optical properties of gadolinia-doped cubic yttria stabilized zirconia single crystals

Cubic zirconia single crystals stabilized with yttria and doped with Gd₂O₃ (0.10–5.00 mol%) were prepared by the optical floating zone method, and characterized by a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), photoluminescence excitation (PLE) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopic techniques. XRD and Raman spectroscopy showed that the crystal samples were all in the cubic phase, whereas the ceramic sample consisted of a mixture of monoclinic and cubic phases. The absorption spectrum showed four peaks at 245, 273, 308, and 314 nm in the ultraviolet region, and the optical band gap differed between samples with ≤3.00 mol% and those with >3.00 mol% Gd₂O₃. The emission spectrum showed a weak peak at 308 nm and a strong peak at 314 nm, which are attributed to the ⁶P_5/2 → ⁸S_7/2 and ⁶P_7/2 → ⁸S_7/2 transitions of Gd³⁺, respectively. The intensities of the peaks in the excitation and emission spectra increased with Gd³⁺ concentration, reached a maximum at 2.00 mol%, then decreased with higher concentrations. This quenching is considered to be the result of the electric dipole-dipole interactions, and this interpretation is supported by the Gd³⁺ EPR spectra, which showed progressive broadening with increasing Gd³⁺ concentration throughout the concentration range investigated.     

Optical properties,thermal stability,and forming region of high refractive index La2O3–TiO2–Nb2O5 glasses

The high refractive index La₂O₃–TiO₂–Nb₂O₅ glasses were prepared by containerless processing, and the glass‐forming region was determined. The refractive index showed the range from 2.20 to 2.32, and the values were much higher than those of most optical glasses. The completely miscible 30LaO_3/2–(70?x)TiO₂–xNbO_5/2 (0 ≤ x ≤70) system was fabricated to study the compositional dependence of refractive index and optical transmittance. The crucial determinants of the refractive index of oxide glasses, oxygen molar volume, and electronic polarizability of oxygen ions were calculated. The principle of additivity of glass properties was suitable for the calculation of refractive index between glass and compositional oxides. All the glasses were colorless and transparent in the visible to 6.5 μm middle infrared (MIR) region. These results are useful for designing new optical glasses with high refractive index and low wavelength dispersion in wide optical window.     

Synthesis and properties of blue zirconia ceramic based on Ni/Co doped Ba0.956Mg0.912Al10.088O17 blue pigments

Novel blue pigments based on Ba_0.956Mg_0.912Al_10.088-xNi_xO₁₇ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) and Ba_0.956Mg_0.912Al_10.088-xCo_xO₁₇ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) solid solutions were successfully synthesized by solid state method. The XRD results confirmed the structure of the as-synthesized sample belongs to hexagonal β-alumina structure with the space group of P6₃/mmc. The d-d electron transitions in Ni²⁺/Co²⁺ tetrahedral sites in the visible light range are the reason for the blue colors. Then, the as-prepared blue oxides were sintered with ZrO₂ powders at 1400 °C to prepare blue zirconia ceramic materials. Based on XRD and SEM analysis, the pigment phase is stable after high-temperature sintering with ZrO₂, and a clear grain boundary is observed. The XCT results indicate the prepared blue ceramics are dense and very small pores are rarely distributed inside the blue zirconia ceramic body. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the fabricated blue ceramics were maintained compared to pure ZrO₂ ceramic.     

Enhanced upconversion luminescence and optical temperature sensing performance in Er3+ doped BaBi2Nb2O9 ferroelectric ceramic

A series of BaBi_2-xNb₂Er_xO₉ ceramic compositions with different Er³⁺ concentration (x = 0.0–8 mol %) is synthesized by a conventional solid-state reaction method. The upconversion (UC) light emission under 980 nm excitation with different pump powers and luminescence-based temperature sensing ability of BaBi_2-xNb₂Er_xO₉ composition have been examined. The formation of a Bi-layered perovskite phase of BaBi₂Nb₂O₉ is confirmed having an orthorhombic geometry and Fmmm space group. Shifts in the Raman modes indicate reduced interaction of Bi³⁺ ions with NbO₆ octahedron leading to relaxation of structural distortion with increasing Er³⁺ content. The maximum value for remnant polarization and coercive field of doped BaBi_2-xNb₂Er_xO₉ ceramic for (x = 0.08) Erbium concentration comes out to be 2.9524 μC/cm² and 49.8980 kV/cm. For an optimum content of x = 0.04, two strong UC green emission bands were observed at 549 nm via ⁴S_3/2 → ⁴I_15/2 transition and 527 nm via ²H_11/2 → ⁴I_15/2 transitions, and a weak red emission appears at 657 nm attributed to the ⁴F_9/2 → ⁴I_15/2 transition. Pump power dependence suggests that UC emission is a two-photon mechanism for red and green emission bands. Temperature sensing evaluated by the change in the fluorescence intensity ratio (I₅₂₇/I₅₄₉) indicates the highest sensitivity to be 0.00996 K^?1 at 483 K for an optimum concentration of Er³⁺ at x = 0.04 in BaBi_2-xNb₂Er_xO₉ composition and is useful for non-contact optical thermometry.     

Synthesis of dysprosium/Mn–Cu ferrite binary nanocomposite: Analysis of structural,morphological, dielectric,and optomagnetic properties

Manganese–copper ferrite (MCFO) and dysprosium (Dy)-doped manganese–copper ferrite nanocomposites (Mn_0.5Cu_0.5Dy_xFe_2−xO₄) (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15) were synthesized by sonochemical method. Crystal structure and the structural parameters of the MCFO were analyzed based on the doping concentration of Dy ion. It was observed that the average crystalline size of the synthesized nanocomposite decreases when the concentration of Dy increases. The existing spherical surface morphology of the MCFO and Dy-doped MCFO nanocomposites were obtained through scanning electron microscopy. In the UV spectrum, the pristine MCFO sample showed an absorbance peak at 743 nm whereas the absorbance values of Dy-doped ferrite nanocomposite considerably shifted (blue) toward a lower wavelength (231–222 nm). The dielectric parameters of all ferrite nanocomposites were studied in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 5 MHz. The dielectric spectrum revealed that dielectric constant and loss tangent decreased with increased doping concentration of Dy ion. The saturation magnetization also changed with Dy doping in MCFO. The impact of Dy on manganese–copper ferrite changed the optical, dielectric and magnetic properties of the prepared binary ferrite nanocomposite, which can be used for microwave-absorbing material applications.     

Environmental influence of high Na2O additions on microstructure and ligand field parameters of Cr3+ inside borosilicate glass

A glass system based on the Na₂O/B₂O₃-doped CrO₃ borosilicate has been prepared by the melt quenching technique. The structure, color, optical absorbance and ligand field parameters were investigated for a wide range of Na₂O additives (20–60 mol%). All X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) profiles were used to study the chemical shift states of the glass-constituting elements. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses explored the internal structure and subnetwork units. Furthermore, from the FTIR results, we concluded the transformation of trigonal borate units (BO₃) to tetrahedral borate units (BO₄) and the possibility of transformation from B₃-O-Si linkages to B₄-O-Si linkages. Despite the fixed CrO₃ content, the doped glasses showed a color transition from green to yellow with additional Na₂O content. The increased intensity of the band at 451–427 nm and the decreased intensity of the band at 619–627 nm are the main reasons for this color transformation. The optical absorption spectra confirmed the existence of Cr³⁺ and Cr⁶⁺ states. A decreasing behavior for the crystal field splitting (10Dq) and an increasing behavior for Racah parameter (B) were obtained with further Na₂O additives. The decreasing behavior of 10Dq was attributed to reduced oxygen concentrations with more Na₂O/B₂O₃ substitutions. The increasing behavior of B reflects the tendency of the bond between the Cr cations and their oxygen ligands towards an ionic nature. Moreover, the Dq/B values indicated that Cr³⁺ cations are in high-field positions for the glass sample containing 20 mol% Na₂O, and Cr³⁺ cations are in intermediate field positions for the glass sample containing 30 mol% Na₂O. However, for the glass samples doped with 40, 50 and 60 mol% Na₂O glass samples, Cr³⁺-cations are in weak field positions. These results of (Dq/B) recommend the glass sample doped with 20 mol% Na₂O for tunable laser applications.     

Microstructural characterization and crystallization behaviour of (1 − x)TeO2–xWO3 (x = 0.15, 0.25, 0.3 mol) glasses

DTA, XRD and SEM investigations were conducted on the (1 − x)TeO₂–xWO₃ glasses (where x = 0.15, 0.25 and 0.3). Whereas the 0.75TeO₂–0.25WO₃ and 0.7TeO₂–0.3WO₃ glasses show no exothermic peaks, an indication of no crystallization in their glassy matrices, two crystallization peaks were observed on the DTA plot of the 0.85TeO₂–0.15WO₃ glass. On the basis of the XRD measurements of the 0.85TeO₂–0.15WO₃ glass samples heated to 510 °C and 550 °C (above the peak crystallization temperatures), α-TeO₂ (paratellurite), γ-TeO₂ and WO₃ phases were detected in the sample heated to 510 °C and the α-TeO₂ and WO₃ phases were present in the sample heated to 550 °C. SEM micrographs taken from the 0.85TeO₂–0.15WO₃ glass heated to 510 °C showed that centrosymmetrical crystals were formed as a result of surface crystallization and were between 3 μm and 15 μm in width and 12 μm and 30 μm in length. On the other hand, SEM investigations of the 0.85TeO₂–0.15WO₃ glass heated to 550 °C revealed the evidence of bulk massive crystallization resulting in lamellar crystals between 1 μm and 3 μm in width and 5 μm and 30 μm in length. DTA analyses were carried out at different heating rates and the Avrami constants for the 0.85TeO₂–0.15WO₃ glass heated to 510 °C and 550 °C were calculated as 1.2 and 3.9, respectively. Using the modified Kissinger equation, activation energies for crystallization were determined as 265.5 kJ/mol and 258.6 kJ/mol for the 0.85TeO₂–0.15WO₃ glass heated to 510 °C and 550 °C, respectively.     

Role of MgO on the HAp forming ability in phosphate based glasses

Phosphate-based glasses 45P₂O₅–30CaO–(25 ? x)Na₂O–xMgO for different compositions of x = 0, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 mol% were prepared using the normal melt quench technique. To study the influence of MgO on phosphate glasses, a series of experimental analyses such as ultrasonic velocities, differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, pH measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and in vitro studies were carried out in all the prepared glasses. A maxima in ultrasonic parameters at x = 2.5 mol% of MgO content and a further decrease in the same with the addition of MgO content were observed in all glasses. The observed results indicate that structural compactness of glass network took place up to 2.5 mol% of MgO (PCNM2.5), beyond which a loose packing of atoms led to structural softening in glass network. The results obtained from X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses in all glasses before and after in vitro studies revealed the existence of higher HAp-forming ability in PCNM2.5 glass.     

Tuning energy storage and light transmittance properties in ZrO2-modified Na2O–K2O–Nb2O5–SiO2 glass-ceramics

Crystallization kinetics in ZrO₂-modified glass-ceramics, (35-x)Na₂O–5K₂O–40Nb₂O₅–20SiO₂-xZrO₂ (x = 0, 1, 3, 5, 10 mol%), is analyzed by crystallization activation energy E_c and kinetic parameter k. A large kinetic parameter k of 1.657 × 10²⁵ is found for the sample with x = 1, which indicates a high tendency toward crystallization. NaNbO₃ is formed as the major phase, and its crystallinity changes significantly by the addition of ZrO₂. It is found that the dielectric permittivity and maximum polarization are affected by crystallinity. Large domains are formed, and a relaxation process appears at high frequencies. In addition, the breakdown strength (BDS) is affected by the strong electric field distortion rather than the resistance in this system. Complex impedance analysis shows that resistance decreases with the addition of ZrO₂. The electric field distortion of the glass-ceramics is simulated by COMSOL. A low interfacial polarization activation energy E_a of 0.821 eV is achieved by the addition of ZrO₂. The maximum pulse power density reaches 90 MW/cc at 350 kV/cm for the sample with x = 10, and the pulse energy density attains 0.91 J/cm³ at 300 kV/cm for the sample with x = 1. Light transmittance is achieved because of the low crystallinity and the disappearance of cristobalite SiO₂ in the Na₂O–K₂O–Nb₂O₅–SiO₂ glass-ceramics.