Small-angle X-ray scattering characterization of inorganic glasses

Small-angle X-ray scattering is a powerful tool in glass science. The present paper reviews the characterization of inorganic glasses by means of this technique, with specific concern for four areas; (A) the correlations between structure and properties; (B) the middle-range order; (C) the kinetics of phase separation; and (D) the techniques of glass preparation. SAXS studies on various glass systems, e.g. vitreous silica, phosphate glasses, colour glasses, photochromic glasses, and glass-ceramic-forming systems, are described in terms of this approach.     

Prediction of the thermodynamic properties of quinary liquid alloys by modified coordination equation

The coordination numbers in the Molecular Interaction Volume Model (MIVM) can be calculated from the common physical quantities of pure matters. A significant advantage of the model lies in its ability to predict the thermodynamic properties of quinary liquid alloys using only the binary infinite dilute activity coefficients. The predicted values are in good agreement with the experimental data of quinary liquid alloys, which show that the model is reliable, convenient and economic.     

Improved binary parameters using GA for multi-component aromatic extraction: NRTL model without and with closure equations

Application of genetic algorithm (GA), which leads to globally optimal binary interaction parameters from multi-component liquid–liquid equilibrium data, has been recently demonstrated for some ternary, quaternary and quinary systems. The binary interaction parameters are related to each other through the closure equations. In this work, the binary interaction parameters based on non-random two liquid (NRTL) activity coefficient model have been estimated using GA, without and with closure equations for 65 multi-component aromatic extraction systems: 53 ternary, 9 quaternary and 3 quinary systems. Parameters that satisfy the closure equations exhibit better root mean square deviations than those that do not satisfy the closure equations. Root mean square deviation value without implementation of closure equations is 0–80% better than literature as compared to 0–90% better with implementation of closure equations.     

Fluoride glass compositions for waveguide applications

Compositions along with thermal and optical properties of fluoride glasses suitable for the preparation of fibers and planar waveguides are reviewed. In terms of application, emphasis is given on the characteristics of Tm³⁺ and Pr³⁺-doped ZrF₄-based fluoride glasses for optical amplification at 1.47 and 1.3 μm.

Then, experimental results on the optimization of indium-based fluoride glasses are shown. Glasses are investigated in the (Ba, In, Zn, Gd) and (In, Zn, Sr, Ba) fluoride systems. Optical fibers are pulled from glasses of the (In, Zn, Sr, Ba) system stabilized with addition of gallium and calcium fluorides.     

Fluorescence properties of Eu3+ ions doped borate and fluoroborate glasses containing lithium, zinc and lead

The influence of glass composition on the fluorescence properties of Eu3+ ions doped borate and fluoroborate glasses modified with Li+, Zn2+ and Pb2+ cations have been investigated. The magnitude of splittings of 7F1 levels are analyzed using crystal-field (CF) analysis. The relative intensities of 5D0 --> 7F2 to 5D0 --> 7F1 transitions, crystal-field strength parameters and decay times of the 5D0 level have been determined and are found to be lower for Pb based glasses than those of Zn/Li based glasses. The lifetimes of 5D0 level are found to increase when borate glasses are modified with pure fluorides than with oxides and oxyfluorides. The fluorescence decay of 5D0 level fits perfect single exponential in the Eu3+:glass systems studied which indicates the absence of energy transfer between Eu3+ ions in these glasses.     

The study on microstructure and electrochemical properties of Al�CMg�CSn�CGa�CPb alloy anode material for Al/AgO battery

The microstructure of Al?CMg?CSn?CGa?CPb quinary aluminum alloy anode material and the influences of its electrochemical properties and self-corrosion rate in 4?mol/l NaOH +10?g/l Na₂SnO₃ medium were studied. The microstructure and morphology were characterized by metallographic microscope, transmission electron microscope, and scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties were tested by electrochemical workstation, and the self-corrosion rate of Al alloy anode was studied by methods of recovery H₂ gas by discharge water. The results show that homogenization has not much impact on the electrochemical properties and the corrosion rate of the cast aluminum alloy anode material; besides, return annealing treatment of the cold-rolled Al?CMg?CSn?CGa?CPb quinary aluminum alloy anode material can reduce the rate of self-corrosion and make Al anodic potential shift negative steadily and improve the properties of the material.     

The study on microstructure and electrochemical properties of Al–Mg–Sn–Ga–Pb alloy anode material for Al/AgO battery

The microstructure of Al–Mg–Sn–Ga–Pb quinary aluminum alloy anode material and the influences of its electrochemical properties and self-corrosion rate in 4 mol/l NaOH +10 g/l Na₂SnO₃ medium were studied. The microstructure and morphology were characterized by metallographic microscope, transmission electron microscope, and scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties were tested by electrochemical workstation, and the self-corrosion rate of Al alloy anode was studied by methods of recovery H₂ gas by discharge water. The results show that homogenization has not much impact on the electrochemical properties and the corrosion rate of the cast aluminum alloy anode material; besides, return annealing treatment of the cold-rolled Al–Mg–Sn–Ga–Pb quinary aluminum alloy anode material can reduce the rate of self-corrosion and make Al anodic potential shift negative steadily and improve the properties of the material.

     

Inhomogeneity and microscopic structure in liquids and glasses

Our recent works on solutions of chemically different substances are reviewed. The emphasis is placed on the tendency of nano-scale heterogeneous phase separation in homogeneous solutions, which influences the bulk properties of the systems. Examples are alkali metal–ammonia solutions, AgI–alkylammonium iodide mixtures, and sodium borate glasses containing Ag or Bi fine particles. The correlations of the inhomogeneity and stability of solutions are discussed.     

Fluorescence properties of Nd3+ -doped InF3 based optical glasses

This paper presents the preparation and photoluminescence characteristics of a new series of Nd³⁺ -doped InF₃ based glass systems of the following compositions: 48 InF₃24 BaF₂7 AlF₃20 RF1 NdF₃ where RF=LIF, NaF and KF. Besides our understanding of the optical properties, the relevant physical properties concerning these glasses have also been dealt with. Based on the fluorescence results obtained from both the theory and experiments on these optical glasses, it was found that the Nd³⁺-doped Glass-A with 20 M% LiF was better in optical behaviour than the other two glasses.     

Thermodynamic investigations on the component dependences of high-entropy alloys

In the present research, a study on the thermodynamical properties of the quinary Co–Cu–Cr–Fe–Ni high-entropy alloys and ternary Ca–Sb–Yb is carried out by the models Kohler, Chou’s general solution method (GSM) and Muggianu. The dependences of composition variation on thermodynamic properties, such as enthalpy of mixing of Co–Cu–Cr–Fe–Ni alloys in simple FCC phase are investigated at the temperatures 1273, 1373, and 1473 K. Moreover, a comparison between the results of the three models and those of other theoretical models shows good mutual agreement.     

Fluorescence and Absorption Probe of Metal Ion Centers in Silicates Obtained by the Sol-Gel Technique

An optical probe of the structure of metal ion centers in sol-gel systems based on Eu3+ and Nd3+ emission and absorption measurements has been developed. The effects of the structure and composition of organic complexes of Eu3+ on the clustering processes and retention of water molecules in the gel and glasses were investigated. Mechanical properties of systems prepared with Triton detergent were also investigated. The studies have been performed for two types of complexes of lanthanides, with -diketones as the precursor lanthanide salts. The emission, excitation and absorption spectra of the precursor salts, gels and glasses heated to 1100 K were measured. Splitting of the levels and electronic transition probabilities were analyzed. The IR spectra were used for the detection of the OH– modes in the glasses.     

Microscopic description of the low-temperature anomalies in silica and lithium silicate via computer simulations

Information about the nature of the low-temperature anomalies and in particular the properties of the tunneling systems in silica and lithium silica glasses are revealed via computer simulations. The potential energy landscape of these systems is systematically explored for adjacent pairs of local minima which may act as double-well potentials (DWPs) at low temperatures. Three different types of DWPs are distinguished, related to perfectly coordinated silica, intrinsic silica defects, and extrinsic defects. Their properties such as the spatial extension and the dipole moment are characterized in detail. Furthermore, the absolute number of tunneling systems, that is, symmetric DWPs, is estimated. The results are compared with dielectric echo, specific heat, and acoustic experiments on Suprasil I and Suprasil W. A semiquantitative agreement for all relevant features is obtained.     

Electro‐Optic (E‐O) Molecular Glasses

This Focus Review describes molecular glasses as a new class of materials for nonlinear optical (NLO) applications, especially for electro‐optic (E‐O) devices. Examples of E‐O molecular glasses are reviewed with a focus on the molecular design of NLO chromophores and solid‐state engineering of molecular glasses. Molecular glasses based on dendrimers of multiple chromophores, molecular glass blends of chromophores, and molecular glasses based on reversible self‐assembly of chromophores are introduced as promising architectures to prepare morphologically stable molecular glasses with large E‐O activities and improved material properties for device applications. Future directions to fully exploit the potential of molecular glasses for NLO materials are presented.     

固体NMR在玻璃微结构研究中的应用

核磁共振(NMR)是探测物质微结构的有力手段,本文简要介绍了固体NMR技术在玻璃微结构研究中的应用,尤其是近年来的新进展,包括硅酸盐玻璃、硼酸盐玻璃、磷酸盐玻璃以及含铝的氧化物玻璃等玻璃体系。     

Chemical durability of MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript>-P<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> and K<Subscript>2</Subscript>O-MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript>-P<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> glasses

Thermal and chemical durability studies of the phosphate glasses belonging to the binary MoO₃-P₂O₅ and the ternary K₂O-MoO₃-P₂O₅ systems are reported. The chemical resistant attack tests carried out on the free alkaline MoO₃-P₂O₅ glasses show that the glass associated with the P/Mo ratio 2 has the high chemical durability. It shows also a high glass transition temperature value. The above findings are interpreted in terms of the cross-link density of the glasses and the strength of the M-O bonds (M=P, Mo). The influence of K₂O addition on the properties (density, T _g, durability) of this binary high water resistant glass is studied. It is found that the chemical durability along with the other physical properties are reduced by the incroporation of K₂O in the glass matrix. The results were explained by assuming the formation of non-bridging oxygens and weak bonds. The mechanism of the dissolution of these glasses is proposed.     

Impact of network topology on cationic diffusion and hardness of borate glass surfaces

The connection between bulk glass properties and network topology is now well established. However, there has been little attention paid to the impact of network topology on the surface properties of glass. In this work, we report the impact of the network topology on both the transport properties (such as cationic inward diffusion) and the mechanical properties (such as hardness) of borate glasses with modified surfaces. We choose soda lime borate systems as the object of this study because of their interesting topological features, e.g., boron anomaly. An inward diffusion mechanism is employed to modify the glass surface compositions and hence the surface topology. We show that accurate quantitative predictions of the hardness of the modified surfaces can be made using topological constraint theory with temperature-dependent constraints. Experimental results reveal that Ca(2+) diffusion is most intense in glasses with lowest BO(4) fraction, whereas Na(+) diffusion is only significant when nonbridging oxygens start to form. These phenomena are interpreted in terms of the atomic packing and the local electrostatic environments of the cations.     

Glass formation in the CaO-Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-B<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and SrO-Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-B<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> systems

A physicochemical study of glasses based on the MO-Bi₂O₃-B₂O₃ and SrO-Bi₂O₃-B₂O₃ systems was performed. Glass formation regions were found. The structural and optical properties, as well as the thermal behavior of the glasses, were studied.     

Evaluation of the stability of substituted InF3 glasses by differential thermal analysis

The thermal properties and devitrification behaviour of substituted InF₃ glasses were studied by means of differential thermal analysis. A comparison of various simple quantitative methods to assess the level of stability of multicomponent fluoride glass systems was also made. Most of these methods are based on critical temperatures. In this paper, a new parameter,k _d(T), is introduced to the stability criteria. The stabilities of several substituted InF₃ glasses were evaluated experimentally and correlated with the activation energies of crystallization via this new kinetic criterion and compared with those evaluated by other criteria.     

The origin of the Poisson ratio of amorphous organic polymers and inorganic glasses

Studies concerning the relationship between the value of μ and a number of mechanical and thermal properties of amorphous polymers and glasses are analyzed with the aim to gain information about the origin of Poisson ratio μ in these systems. It is shown that the Poisson ratio features a more pronounced structure-sensitive behavior than the elastic modulus, although the Poisson ratio varies in a narrow range. The relationship between the Poisson ratio and the Grüneisen parameter is substantiated. In this context, the issue of the correlation between harmonic and anharmonic quantities is highlighted. The Poisson ratio is sensitive to lattice dynamics and atomic–molecular structures of polymers and glasses. When light atoms, for example, hydrogen atoms in polyethylene, are replaced with larger and heavier atoms on pendant chains of the macromolecular backbone, anharmonicity increases; that is, lattice Grüneisen parameter γ_D increases. As a result, the Poisson ratio increases because these quantities are related unambiguously. Conditions of preparing an isotropic material with a negative Poisson ratio (μ < 0) are discussed. The relative ultimate strain of the interatomic bond in glassy systems is a function of the Poisson ratio solely. The frozen elastic strain of amorphous polymers and glasses is likewise a single-valued function of the Poisson ratio. The discussed phenomena are interpreted in terms of the Kuz’menko and Pineda theories and the Berlin–Rothenburg–Bathurst model.     

Sol-Gel Glass Waveguides

Sol-gel processes show many promises for the development of low-loss, high-performance glass integrated optical circuits. Special attention is being paid to the preparation of composite glass film, where the properties of organic or inorganic dopant compounds included in the glass matrix are fully exploited. Nonlinear optical glass film waveguides have the potential to become key devices in the future, leading to further technical advances of fiber optic communication systems. This paper briefly reviews current activities in sol-gel glasses for integrated optics, with particular focus on silica-titania and semiconductor-doped films.