NMR and infrared study of cation motion in vitreous and polycrystalline TlPO3

The activation energy for Tl⁺ conduction in TlPO₃ glass is obtained from analysis of temperature-dependent motional narrowing for Tl²⁰⁵ NMR spectra and determinations of the localized far infrared (FIR) vibrational frequency for Tl⁺. Use is made of the phenomenological equation of Hendrickson and Bray to analyze the NMR data, yielding E_a = 1.19 eV; the measured FIR Tl⁺ vibrational frequency of 80 cm^?1 yields E_a = 1.09 eV. No significant ionic conduction is observed in polycrystalline TlPO₃. Differential scanning calorimeter measurements yield a glass transition temperature T_g of 96°C and the onset of crystallization temperature of 132°C. Measurements of the Tl²⁰⁵ chemical shift interaction as a function of frequency indicate that (1) the Tl⁺ sites in both polycrystalline and glassy TlPO₃ are ionic, the sites in the polycrystal being slightly more ionic than in the glass; (2) the chemical shift interaction is anisotropic in the glass and isotropic in the polycrystal; and (3) distributions in the values of the principal components of the chemical shift tensor exist in the glass, corresponding to a variety of TlO bond lengths and bond strengths.     

High field electrical switching behavior of Ge10Se90−xTlx glasses

Electrical switching studies on bulk Ge₁₀Se_90−xTl_x (15 ? x ? 34) glasses have been undertaken to examine the type of switching, composition and thickness dependence of switching voltages. Unlike Ge-Se-Tl thin films which exhibit memory switching, the bulk Ge₁₀Se_90−xTl_x glasses are found to exhibit threshold type switching with fluctuations seen in their current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. Further, it is observed that the switching voltages (V_T) of Ge₁₀Se_90−xTl_x glasses decrease with the increase in the Tl concentration. An effort has been made to understand the observed composition dependence on the basis of nature of bonding of Tl atoms and a decrease in the chemical disorder with composition. In addition, the network connectivity and metallicity factors also contribute for the observed decrease in the switching voltages of Ge₁₀Se_90−xTl_x glasses with Tl addition. It is also interesting to note that the composition dependence of switching voltages of Ge₁₀Se_90−xTl_x glasses exhibit a small cusp around the composition x = 22, which is understood on the basis of a thermally reversing window in this system in the composition range 22 ? x ? 30. The thickness dependence of switching voltages has been found to provide an insight about the type of switching mechanism involved in these samples.     

Thermoelectric properties of Tl‐doped Bi2Se3 single crystals

The single crystals of the ternary system based on Bi_2‐xTl_xSe₃ (nominaly x = 0.0‐0.1) were prepared using the Bridgman technique. Samples with varying content of Tl were characterized by the measurement of lattice parameters, electrical conductivity σ_⊥c , Hall coefficient R_H (B∥c), and Seebeck coefficient S (ΔT ⊥c). The measurements indicate that by incorporating Tl in Bi₂Se₃ one lowers the concentration of free electrons and enhances their mobility. This effect is explained in terms of the point defects in the crystal lattice – formation of substitutional defects thallium on the site of bismuth Tl_Bi and the decrease of concentration of selenium vacancies V_Se⁺². We also discuss the temperature dependence of the power factor σS² of the samples. Upon the thallium doping we observe a significant increase of the power factor compare to the parental Bi₂Se₃. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Viscosity and kinetic fragility of alkaline earth zinc phosphate glasses

Kinetic fragility indices m and F_1/2 as well as glass transition temperature T_g of alkaline earth zinc phosphate melts of molar composition 20 MO–30 ZnO–50 P₂O₅ (with M = Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg) were determined using viscometry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Beam bending and concentric cylinder experiments were performed to measure the flow resistance in temperature ranges above glass transition and close to liquidus, respectively. Different upscan rates of DSC runs through the glass transition were used to correlate changes of the fictive temperature with kinetic fragility. Both methods revealed that glass transition temperature correlates negatively and kinetic fragility positively with the size of M. Metal cation mixing (M + Zn) led to a negative deviation from linearity for T_g, while exchanging M resulted in a linear dependence of T_g, if scaled with averaged charge-to-distance ratio. The fictive temperature method overestimated the compositional dependence of m by a ratio up to 1.9.     

Correlation between dynamic fragility and glass transition temperature for different classes of glass forming liquids

Here we compile literature data for dynamic fragility m for six types of glass forming liquids: polymers, small molecule organics, hydrogen bonding organics, inorganics, ionic and metallic glass formers. Our analysis of the data shows that different categories of glass forming liquids exhibit different behaviors in terms of the correlation between m and T_g, a correlation not previously examined. For example, for hydrogen bonding organics, polymeric and metallic glass formers, there is an approximately linear increase in m with increasing T_g. While for inorganic glass formers, m appears almost independent of T_g, remaining nearly constant over a wide range in T_g. At the same time, another important parameter, the apparent activation energy E_g at T_g has been investigated. It was found that E_g increases with T_g to the 2nd power for hydrogen bonding organics, polymeric and metallic glass forming liquids, while E_g of inorganic glasses has a linear dependence on T_g.     

Temperature dependence of self-diffusion coefficient in several liquid metals

The temperature-dependent self-diffusion coefficient D(T) in liquid metals between the melting temperature T_m and boiling point T_b is modeled in terms of the relationship among D, liquid viscosity η, and liquid–vapor surface tension γ_lv. The model predictions for D(T) correspond to available experimental and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations results for liquid alkali metals Li, Na, Rb and Cs, semi-metal Al, transition and noble metals Ni, Cu, Ag and Au.     

Aging,glass transition,supercooled and equilibrium liquid states of alkali germanate glasses studied by Brillouin scattering

The elastic properties of alkali germanate glasses, xR₂O?(100 ? x)GeO₂ (R = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs ; x = 14, 28), have been studied by Brillouin scattering in the wide temperature range up to 1200 °C. The remarkable aging effect of Brillouin shift Δν_L has been observed below a glass transition temperature T_g ≈ 500 °C. The temperature dependence of longitudinal sound velocity V_L of well annealed glasses shows the gradual decrease below T_g, while on further heating the remarkable decrease is observed above T_g. The scaled temperature dependence of V_L is nearly independent on alkali metals below the melting temperature T_m. While on further heating above T_m, the drastic decrease of V_L and increase of α_L show the remarkable alkali dependence. It may be attributed to the appearance of dynamic process related to ionic hopping of alkali metals released from glass network above T_m.     

Elastic constants of Se1−xTex solid amorphous alloys — the role of tellerium

From the 15 MHz ultrasound velocity (shear and longitudinal) the elastic parameters (E, G, K) have been calculated, other than the Debye temperature θ_m in solid Se_1?xTe_x amorphous alloys in the temperature region containing the T_g range. Assisted by results of optical spectroscopy and by shear viscosity tests an analysis has been carried out to explain the role of tellurium in these alloys. We find a double action played through the covalent bonds in the inside of the copolymeric chains and between them by means of the Van der Waals forces. Other results, from the literature, have been taken into account to support our hypothesis.     

Short range order and glass transition in AgIAg2OB2O3 vitreous electrolytes

Several experimental techniques are used to study the short range order, the dynamics and the glass transition in AgIAg₂B₂O₃ compounds. Addition of Ag₂O to B₂O₃, up to [Ag₂O]/[B₂O₃] ?0.5 modifies the borate network by creating a BO₄ unit for each silver added. Addition of AgI decreases the glass transition temperature (T_g) but has only minor effects on the short range structure of the borate network. Silver iodide is partially accomodated in the interstices of the glass network. The relationship among a tentative structural picture, the ion transport phenomena and the low temperature dynamics are discussed.An investigation of the dynamics in the AgI·Ag₂O·2B₂O₃ glass near and above T_g is presented. With NMR techniques, we monitor the onset of tumbling of the borate units and the dynamical effects of crystallization and/or aging of the glass. Hysteresis effects in the ionic conductivity (σ) temperature dependence and the non-Arrhenian behavior of σT near T_g are interpreted in terms of structural modifications occurring at elevated temperatures in the glass.     

Electronegativity difference, atomic size parameter and widths of supercooled liquid regions of Sb2S3-As2S3-Sb2Te3 glasses

Electronegativity difference Δ_x, atomic size parameter δ and width of supercooled liquid region (ΔT_x = T_x − T_g, where T_x is the onset crystallization temperature and T_g the glass transition temperature) are analysed for glasses of the ternary system Sb₂S₃-As₂S₃-Sb₂Te₃ as a function of arsenic atomic percentage.Correlation is investigated between the two bonds parameters (Δ_x and δ) and the width of supercooled liquid region ΔT_x (which is generally reliable in estimating the stability against the crystallization of the glasses). It is found that this width of supercooled liquid region of the glasses in Sb₂S₃-As₂S₃-Sb₂Te₃ system depends on electronegativity difference and atomic size parameter.     

Composition dependence of the glass transition temperatures of PdNiP and PtNiP glasses

Thermal properties of glassy PdNiP and PtNiP alloys have been measured as a function of the concentration of transition metals. The glass transiion temperature, T_g, of these alloys glasses exhibits a negative linear deviation with transition metal content - which is in contrast to the increasing T_g of binary glassy alloys with increasing metalloids.It is suggested that the suppression of the glass transition temperature of these glassy alloys may be attributed to the excess configurational entropy of disorder associated with a mixture of hard spheres differing in radius. In contrast, the increasing T_g of binary glassy alloys with the metalloid content may be associated with the short-range order resulting from strong interactions between metal and metalloid atoms.     

Influence of Nd2O3 on the thermal and dielectric properties of Pb-based lead borosilicate glasses

Neodymium has been employed in various Pb-based glass compositions containing ZnO, MgO, CaO, and BaO, to obtain low melting glasses for use as dielectric materials. Thermal analysis (DTA, TMA) was applied for both qualitative and quantitative thermal properties (T_g, CTE) of the glasses, and impedance analysis of the dielectric properties (ε_r, tanδ) was performed. It was found that with increasing Nd₂O₃, the glass transition temperature (T_g), the dilatometer softening point (T_d) and dielectric constant (ε_r) became higher. Also, a peak shift suggesting neodymium oxide introduced structural changes was found with IR spectra and XPS. These seem to support the conclusion that the addition of increased amounts of Nd₂O₃ can lead to a more rigid glass structure.     

Effect of P2O5 content in two series of soda lime phosphosilicate glasses on structure and properties - Part II: Physical properties

The effect of the variation in phosphate (P₂O₅) content on the properties of two series of bioactive glasses in the quaternary system SiO₂-Na₂O-CaO-P₂O₅ was studied. The first series (I) was a simple substitution of P₂O₅ for SiO₂ keeping the Na₂O:CaO ratio fixed (1:0.87). The second series (II) was designed to ensure charge neutrality in the orthophosphate (), therefore as P₂O₅ was added the Na₂O and CaO content was varied to provide sufficient Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ cations to charge balance the orthophosphate present. Network connectivity’s of the glasses were calculated, and densities and thermal expansion coefficients predicted using the Appen and Doweidar models, respectively. Theoretical densities were measured using the Archimedes principle. Characteristic temperatures, namely the glass transition temperature, T_g, and crystallization temperatures, T_x, were obtained using differential analysis (DTA). Two crystallization exotherms were observed for both glass series (T_xi and T_xii). Both T_g and T_x decreased with P₂O₅ addition for both series. The working range of the glasses, T_x-T_g was shown to increase to a maximum at around 4 mol% P₂O₅ then decrease at higher P₂O₅ contents for both series. Thermal expansion coefficients were measured using dilatometry increasing with P₂O₅ addition and showed good agreement with the Appen values. Dilatometric softening points, T_s, were also measured, which increased with P₂O₅ addition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was performed on the glasses to confirm their amorphous nature. The glass containing 9.25 mol% P₂O₅ from series I exhibited well-defined peaks on the XRD trace, indicating the presence of a crystalline phase.     

Mg based bulk metallic glasses: Glass transition temperature and elastic properties versus toughness

In this work, optimal compositions for bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) formation in the ternary Mg-Cu-Nd and Mg-Ni-Nd systems are located at the Mg₅₇Cu₃₄Nd₉ and Mg₆₄Ni₂₁Nd₁₅, respectively, with the critical diameter of 4 mm for the rods fabricated by copper mold casting. As indicated by notch toughness testing, Mg₆₄Ni₂₁Nd₁₅ BMG (K_Q = 5.1 MPa√m) manifests higher toughness with respect to the Mg₅₇Cu₃₄Nd₉ (K_Q = 3.6 MPa√m), even though both BMGs have similar compressive fracture strength of 870-880 MPa. Such an improvement in toughness for Mg BMGs correlates with the reduction of shear modulus and the enhancement of thermal stability to resist to the structural relaxation at room temperature, which is indicated by the elevated glass transition temperature T_g. Under the Mode I loading condition, morphology in fracture surface of the Mg₆₄Ni₂₁Nd₁₅ BMG varies along the crack propagation path. Fractographic evolution of the fracture surface follows the Taylor's meniscus instability criterion. For the Mg-based BMGs, shear modulus scales with the glass transition temperature, and can be expressed as μ = 4.7 + 625T_g/V_m[1-4/9(T/T_g)^2/3]. Meanwhile, correlation between the calorimetric T_g and elastic properties at T_g can be rationalized with Egami's model.     

Glass-forming ability and crystallization of bulk metallic glass (HfxZr1−x)52.5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10Ti5

We have produced a series of bulk metallic glasses of composition (Hf_xZr_1−x)_52.5Cu_17.9Ni_14.6Al₁₀Ti₅ (with x=0-1) by an arc melting/suction casting method. The density of these alloys increases by nearly 67% with increasing Hf content from 6.65 g/cm³ (x=0) to 11.09 g/cm³ (x=1). Over the same composition range the glass-forming ability decreases, as demonstrated by the size of the largest amorphous ingots that can be cast without crystallization. Although both the glass transition temperature and the melting temperature increase linearly with increasing Hf content, the reduced glass transition temperature (T_g/T_m) decreases, from 0.64 (x=0) to 0.62 (x=1), which suggests that the `confusion principle' correlating increased glass-forming ability with increased number of components, does not apply in this case due to the chemical similarity between Zr and Hf. A different crystallization behavior is observed for Zr-based and Hf-based glasses. The final crystalline phases are CuZr₂ and Zr₂Ni for Zr-based alloys, and Al₁₆Hf₆Ni₇ and CuHf₂ for Hf-based alloys.     

Relaxation effects in glassy selenium

Thermal relaxation phenomena were measured in samples of both melt-quenched and evaporated selenium. On the basis of earlier studies, the two methods of preparation produced samples with polymeric chain concentrations of 30–50% and 0% respectively; the rest of the material was in the form of eight member rings. The relaxation peak occurred between 320 and 330 K, and had an activation energy of ≈22.5 kcal/mole for the melt-quenched sample. A decrease of 1 K in the glass relaxation temperature and 0.5 kcal (a at)^?1 in the activation energy was observed in samples which had been initially evaporated. No change was observed as a result of melting and quenching these evaporated samples.It is postulated that there was no change when the evaporated sample was melt-quenched be because rings and chains can interconvert and equilibrate relatively readily at temperatures as low as T_g (50° C), and consequently the samples all had the same structure after once being heated above T_g. The differences observed are probably due to accidental impurities in the evaporated samples which help catalyze the interconversion of rings and chains. Further, since the equilibrium concentration of polymeric chains is temperature dependent, it is postulated that the large relaxation effects seen at T < T_g are due to the equilibration of these chains with the rings. The observed activation energy for the relaxation supports this view. It is about the same energy as has been previously measured for Se₈ ring breaking in liquid selenium. Two consequences of this postulate are that the selenium analog to the sulfur polymerization transition must occur well below room temperature if it exists, and therefore, that the equilibrium ring-chain ratio can be smoothly extrapolated down to room temperature from the published high-temperature data.     

Thermal expansion of glasses in the As2Se3–AsI3 system

Thermal expansion coefficients (α) of glasses in the As₂Se₃–AsI₃ system are measured in the glass transition region and temperature dependence of the fictive temperature is calculated on the basis of relaxation model. It is found that the increase of AsI₃ content results in: an increase of α, decrease of the glass transition temperature (T_g), increase of the α change at T_g, an effect of quenching rate on α, and also changes in the structural relaxation times spectrum. The data are discussed within the framework of the assumption that the addition of AsI₃ to As₂Se₃ results in: (1) destruction of the As₂Se₃ glass network, (2) structural inhomogeneity of the glasses increase, (3) the temperature dependence of chemical–structural equilibria occurring in the liquid state increases.     

Glass transition and fragility of Na2O-TeO2 glasses

The heat capacity (C_p) change in the glass transition region for the xNa₂O ·(100−x)TeO₂, mol%, glass forming melts with x=7.5, 11.1, 15.0, 20.0 and 25.0 was measured as a function of heating rate (2, 4, 6, 10 and 15 °C/min) using differential scanning calorimetry. The glass transition properties that have been measured and reported in this paper include the glass transition temperature (T_g), glass transition width (ΔT_g), heat capacities in the glassy and liquid state (C_pg and C_pl) and the activation enthalpy for glass transition (). T_g for these sodium tellurite melts decreased and increased with increasing Na₂O. Values of the ratio C_pl/C_pg ranged between 1.28 and 2.47, and the fragility parameter ranged between 100 and 130, suggesting that these glass forming melts may be classified as intermediate between typical strong and fragile liquids. The viscosity, η, calculated at a few selected temperatures near the glass transition region decreased with increasing Na₂O at any given temperature, which is also expected.     

Conductivity and dielectric properties of polymer electrolytes PEO:LiN(CF3SO2)2 near glass transition

Results of measurements of PEO:LiN(CF₃SO₂)₂ polymer electrolytes of composition between 12:1 and 1.5:1 EO:Li, performed by impedance spectroscopy, impedance spectroscopy simultaneous with microscope observation, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction were analyzed focusing on electrical properties of semicrystalline and rapidly cooled amorphous samples. In the loss spectra measured at low temperature, the occurrence of two dielectric relaxations was evidenced: local (β) and segmental (α). For each of the investigated electrolytes, the temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity and the frequency of α relaxation could be described by the VTF function with the same value of parameter T₀, which indicated close coupling of both phenomena. The local (β) relaxation exhibited an Arrhenius type temperature dependence. With increasing amount of salt, two effects were observed for amorphous samples: an increase of the glass transition temperature T_g affecting the α relaxation and changes of structure of PEO:LiN(CF₃SO₂)₂ complexes reflected in shift of the β relaxation frequency. Crystallization caused decrease of both the ionic conductivity and the strength of dielectric relaxations. The presence of crystalline phase was also reflected in a shift of the T_g of amorphous phase remaining in the system with respect to the T_g of amorphous electrolyte obtained by rapid cooling.     

Evaluation of glass-forming ability for bulk metallic glasses based on characteristic temperatures

A new criterion ω₂, defined as T_g/(2T_x?T_g)?T_g/T_l (wherein T_g is the glass transition temperature, T_x the onset crystallization temperature, and T_l the liquidus temperature), has been proposed to assess the glass-forming ability (GFA) of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) based on the classical crystallization theory and the crystallization resistance. The analysis indicates that the factors T_g/(2T_x?T_g) and T_g/T_l could reflect the crystallization resistance and liquid phase stability of metallic glasses, respectively. From the available experimental data in literatures, the new criterion ω₂ has a better correlation with the GFA of metallic glasses than all other existing criteria such as T_rg(=T_g/T_l), ΔT_x(=T_x?T_g), γ(=T_x/(T_g+T_l)), ΔT_rg(=(T_x ? T_g)/(T_l ? T_g)), α(=T_x/T_l), β(=T_x/T_g + T_g/T_l), δ(=T_x/(T_l ? T_g)), φ(=T_rg(ΔT_x/T_g)^0.143), γ_m(=(2T_x ? T_g)/T_l), β(=T_x × T_g/(T_l ? T_x)²) and ξ(=ΔT_x/T_x+T_g/T_l). It has also been demonstrated that this ω₂ parameter is a simple and efficient guideline for exploring new BMG formers.