Ion transport studies in zinc/cadmium halide doped silver phosphate glasses

A number of samples of silver phosphate glasses Ag₂O−P₂O₅−Zn/CdX₂ (X=Cl, Br or I) with 1, 5, 10 and 20 mol-% zinc or cadmium halides have been prepared. Control samples of undoped silver phosphate glasses were also prepared. These glasses were characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, IR spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, transference number measurements and electrical conductivity studies. These glasses were found to be essentially ionic conductors. The undoped silver phosphate glass (Ag₂O−P₂O₅) has a low σ value in comparison to the doped ones. The conductivity (σ) in the doped glasses increases substantially with increasing concentration of dopant salts Zn/or CdX₂ and as the anions of the dopants are changed from Cl⁻ to I⁻. It is found that the σ values of the ZnX₂ doped glasses are slightly greater than those of the CdX₂ doped ones, and the silver phosphate glasses doped with (20 mol-%) Zn/CdI₂ yielded maximum conductivity. The results have been discussed and explained on the basis of changes in the structure of the glass matrix by the addition of dopant ions of different sizes, IR spectra and thermal studies.