Tin in silicate glasses: structure, thermodynamics and kinetics

In this work Mössbauer spectroscopy is used to investigate the oxidation states and structures of tin in silicate glasses. Thermal treatment of the glasses in atmospheres with varying oxygen partial pressure leads to the simultaneous appearance of reduction and diffusion. Experiments with varying treatment time give the opportunity to study diffusion and reduction processes in detail. Comparison of the hyperfine parameters of reference materials with measured parameter provides information about the local surroundings of the tin atoms. An octahedral surrounding for Sn^4?+? is presumed, while Sn^2?+? and three oxygen atoms form a tetrahedral coordination.