New insights into the bioactivity of SiO2–CaO and SiO2–CaO–P2O5 sol–gel glasses by molecular dynamics simulations

The structures of binary xCaO · (100 ? x)SiO₂ glasses with x = 10, 20 and 30 mol-% and ternary (20 ? x)CaO · xP₂O₅ · 80SiO₂ glasses with x = 3, 10, 15, 17 and 20 mol-% have been studied by means of classical molecular dynamics simulations using both the melt-quenched and the sol–gel protocols. The structural picture derived correlates the bioactive behaviour to the combined effects of the connectivity of the extended silicate network and to the tendency to form (or not to form) non-homogeneous domains. In this context, a mathematical relationship that relates the Ca/P ratio in the Ca phosphate micro-segregation zones to the P₂O₅ content in ternary glasses has been developed and this has been used to fine-tuning the optimum amount of P in a glass for its highest in vitro bioactivity. The composition with optimal Ca/P ratio, 80Si–14.8Ca–5.2P, has been synthesized and the results of bioactivity tests have confirmed the prediction.     

Structure of Na2O–MgO–CaO–SiO2 glasses by combined Raman spectroscopy and thermodynamic modeling approach

The present contribution deals with the Raman spectra and structure of Na₂O–MgO–CaO–SiO₂ glasses. Six glasses with the trisilicate overall composition 15Na₂O·xMgO·(10–x)CaO·75SiO₂ (x = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) were studied. The structure of studied glasses was described by the thermodynamic model of Shakhmatkin and Vedishcheva. From the 27 components with the stoichiometry given by the composition of stable crystalline phases, only eight were found in significant abundance in the studied glasses—namely: SiO₂, 2MgO·SiO₂ (M2S), MgO·SiO₂ (MS), Na₂O·3CaO·6SiO₂ (NC3S6), Na₂O·CaO·5SiO₂ (NCS5), Na₂O·MgO·4SiO₂ (NMS4), Na₂O·SiO₂ (NS), and Na₂O·2SiO₂ (NS2). The correlation analysis points out that the strong positive correlations between the equilibrium molar amounts of: {M2S–MS–SiO₂}, {NC3S6–NCS5}, and {NMS4–NS–NS2}. From the components of significant abundance, only the content of MS and NC3S6 change significantly within the studied compositional series. These two components were identified with the result of the principal component analysis of Raman spectra that indicated the presence of two independent spectral components. Using the method of Malfait the partial Raman spectra of MS and NC3S6 components were found. The obtained results very well reproduce the experimental Raman spectra and confirmed in such way the thermodynamic model.     

Thermal behaviour and excess entropy of bioactive glasses and Zn-doped glasses

Bioactive glasses prepared in SiO₂–CaO–Na₂O and P₂O₅ system are used as biomaterials in orthopaedic and maxillofacial surgery. Zn presents high physiological interest. It enhances physiological effects of implanted biomaterials. In this work, the thermal characteristics (T _g, T _c and T _f) of pure bioactive glass elaborated with different amounts of CaO, Na₂O in pure glass and with different amounts of introduced Zn in glass (ranging from 0.1 to 10 in mass%), were studied. The excess entropy was calculated for different compounds. Glasses were prepared by the melting process. The thermal behaviour of obtained bioactive glasses was determined using differential thermal analysis. Therefore, the glass transition (T _g), the crystallization (T _c) and the melting temperatures (T _f) were revealed. Moreover, according to Dietzel formula, the thermal stability (TS) of the studied bioactive glasses has been calculated. The first results concerning the impact of different oxides, revealed a decrease of the TS, T _g, T _c and T _f when the SiO₂/CaO increases and revealed an increase of these thermal characteristics when the SiO₂/Na₂O and CaO/Na₂O ratios increase. Introducing Zn into the bioactive glasses induces a decrease of T _f and an increase of TS. Contrary to crystals, prepared glasses have entropy different to zero at T = 0 K and vary versus T _f. The excess entropy of pure glasses and Zn-doped glasses were calculated. The significant variations were registered.     

Influence of thermal stability on dielectric properties of SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–K<Subscript>2</Subscript>O–CaO–MgO glasses

Compositions of 55SiO₂–10K₂O–(35–x)CaO–xMgO are prepared by melt and quench technique. Thermal parameters of the as-prepared glasses are studied using the differential thermal analyzer under non-isothermal conditions. Kissinger, Augis–Bennett and Lasocka models are employed to investigate the kinetics of crystallization and thermal stability of these glasses. Based on this, it is concluded that CM-15 glass exhibits highest thermal stability. Raman spectroscopy is used to reveal the structural units of the glasses. Dielectric properties are observed through impedance spectroscopy. All the glasses are phase separated. The ratio of CaO/MgO influences the thermal stability, which leads to affect the dielectric properties. The highest dielectric permittivity is observed ~22 at room temperature and 100 Hz for CM-15 glass, where CaO/MgO ratio is ~1.33.     

Simple relaxation model of the reversible part of the StepScan® DSC record of glass transition

The results of the StepScan® DSC obtained for 15Na₂O?xMgO?(10–x)CaO?75SiO₂ glasses were described in the frame of the commonly accepted theory of the glass transition. A new simplified model of the reversible part of StepScan® DSC record was developed on the basis of the Tool Narayanaswamy Moynihan relaxation theory. Equivalence between the formal activation energy of enthalpy relaxation process on one side, and the viscous flow activation enthalpy on the other side, was found.     

Crystallization and second harmonic generation in potassium-sodium niobiosilicate glasses

Transparent glasses having molar composition (23−x)K₂O·xNa₂O·27Nb₂O₅·50SiO₂ (x=0, 5, 10, 15 and 23) have been synthesized by the melt-quenching technique and their devitrification behaviour has been investigated by DTA and XRD. Depending on the composition, the glasses showed a glass transition temperature in the range 660-680 °C and devitrified in several steps. XRD measurements showed that the replacement of K₂O by Na₂O strongly affects the crystallization behaviour. Particularly, in the glasses with only potassium or low sodium content the first devitrification step is related to the crystallization of an unidentified phase, while in the glass containing only sodium, NaNbO₃ crystallizes. For an intermediate sodium content (x=10 and 15) a potassium sodium niobate crystalline phase, belonging to the tungsten-bronze family, is formed by bulk nucleation. This system looks promising to produce active nanostructured glasses as the tungsten-bronze type crystals have ferroelectric, electro-optical and non-linear optical properties. Preliminary measurements evidenced SHG activity in the crystallized glasses containing this phase.     

IR spectroscopic investigations on the determination of the water content in glasses

The IR spectra of glasses of the composition 16 Cs₂O?·?10 CaO?·?74 SiO₂ with different water contents were measured and quantitatively analyzed with regard to the water content. Nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) was used for calibration. The practical extinction coefficients were determined for the OH vibrational bands at 3500 and 2800 cm^–1. The two-band method of Scholze was applied to IR spectra of three different alkali lime silica glasses containing Na⁺, K⁺, or Cs⁺ as network modifier cations. After correcting the extinction coefficients, this method is very suitable for determination of total water concentrations in glasses.     

Untersuchungen an Reaktionsprodukten von Dinatriumdihydrogensilicathydraten – Na2H2SiO4 · xH2O – und Dinatriumsilicat – (Na2SiO3)x – mit Wasserstoffperoxid. III1. Über den Abbau von Dinatriumsilicat-3-Wasserstoffperoxid

Na₂SiO₃ · 3 H₂O₂ is an instable compound, delivering oxygen on storing at room temperature. The decomposition is of a radicalic nature. An intermediate resulting from this decomposition is Na₂SiO₃ · H₂O₂ · 2 H₂O; it slowly looses elemental oxygen yielding two hydrates: Na₂SiO₃ · 3 H₂O₂ und Na₂SiO₃ · H₂O, depending on the experimental conditions. Thermal decomposition of Na₂SiO₃ · 3 H₂O₂ leads to (Na₂SiO₃)_x or Na₂SiO₃ · H₂O. The latter is stable up to 480°C, above this temperature being converted to (Na₂SiO₃)_x by exothermic reaction. The existence of these compounds have been proved analytically and by X-ray powder diffraction.     

Study of crystallization process of soda lead silicate glasses by thermal and spectroscopic methods

The crystallization process of some glasses in the ternary Na₂O–SiO₂–PbO system with good chemical stability that can be used for waste inertization was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and scanning electron microscopy. The parent glasses were characterized by XRD and FT-IR, and their vitreous state was determined. DTA measurements evidenced glass transition (T _g) and crystallization temperatures (T _c). The thermal treatments were conducted at vitreous transition temperature (400 °C) and at highest effect of crystallization (650 °C). XRD evidenced the lead and sodium silicate crystalline phases in samples treated at 650 °C for 12 h. Micrometer crystallites dispersed in the glass matrices have affected the transparence of glasses and made them opaque after treatment at 650 °C. The influence of oxide quantities in compositions on the crystallization tendency was revealed. A PbO higher content than that of SiO₂ as well as lower Na₂O content decreased the tendency of crystallization.     

Neue Verbindungen im System CaO/SiO2/CaCl2/H2O

New Compounds in the System CaO/SiO₂/CaCl₂/H₂O The hydrothermal formation of novel calcium silicate hydrates of compositions 5 CaO · 2 SiO₂ · CaCl₂ · 4 H₂O, 5 CaO · 2 SiO₂ · CaCl₂ · 2 H₂O and 4 CaO · 2 SiO₂ · CaCl₂ · H₂O from Ca₃SiO₅ and mixtures of CaO and SiO₂, respectively, in presence of calciumchloride at 200°–350 °C is described. From molybdate-reaction, ²⁹Si MAS NMR, DTA and TG measurements it is concluded that these compounds are based on disilicate anions and are to be interpreted as calcium hydroxide disilicate chlorides.     

Low-temperature heat capacity of sodium borosilicate glasses at temperatures from 13 K to 300 K

Thermodynamic properties of sodium borosilicate glasses {56.7 SiO₂, (43.7  − x)B₂O₃,xNa₂O} wherex =  14.4, 22.9, and 32.5, have been studied. The heat capacity was measured using an adiabatic calorimeter at temperatures between 13 K and 300 K. The thermodynamic functions were calculated from the smoothed values ofC_{p, m} . The results differ from an additive model with pure glassy SiO₂, B₂O₃, and crystalline Na₂O as components. A model based on the assumption that the contribution of structural units of glasses to the heat capacity is equal to those of glasses with the same molecular formula is proposed.     

Ionic Mobility in Glasses in the ZrF4-BiF3-MF Systems (M = Li,Na, K) as Probed by 7Li, 19F,and 23Na NMR

The ion mobility in new fluoride glasses (mol %) 45ZrF₄ · 25BiF₃ · 30MF (I) (M = Li, Na, K), (70 - x)ZrF₄ · xBiF₃ · 30LiF (II) (15 ≤ x ≤ 35), and 45ZrF₄ · (55-x)BiF₃ · xMF (III) (M = Li, Na; 10 ≤ x ≤ 30) has been studied by ⁷Li, ¹9F, and ²³Na NMR in the temperature range 250–500 K. The character of ion motion in bismuth fluorozirconate glasses I and III is determined by temperature and the nature and concentration of an alkali-metal cation. Major type of ion mobility in glasses I–III at temperature 400–440 K are local motions of fluorine-containing moieties and diffusion of lithium ions (except for the glass with x = 10). The factors responsible for diffusion in the fluoride sublattice of glasses I have been determined. Sodium ions in glasses I and III are not involved in ion transport.     

Structural relaxation of PbO–WO3–P2O5 glasses

The structural relaxation of three compositional series of PbO–WO₃–P₂O₅ glasses with composition (0.5 ? x/2)PbO·xWO₃·(0.5 ? x/2)P₂O₅, x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5; 0.5PbO·xWO₃·(0.5 ? x)P₂O₅, x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3; and (0.5 ? x)PbO·xWO₃·0.5P₂O₅, x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 was studied by thermomechanical analysis. The structural relaxation was studied in the transformation region using the Tool–Narayanaswamy–Moynihan’s and Tool–Narayanaswamy–Mazurin’s models. The relaxation function of Kohlrausch Williams and Watts was used. The parameters of both models were calculated by nonlinear regression analysis of thermodilatometric curves measured by thermomechanical analyzer under the constant load. Both models very well describe the experimental data. It was found that the modulus is increasing with increasing amount of WO₃ in all glasses. On the contrary, the width of the spectrum of relaxation times is decreasing with increasing amount of WO₃ in all studied glasses. Both models possess the values of metastable melt thermal expansion coefficient equal to their experimental value.     

Anatase–rutile transformation at the synthesis of rutile pigments (Ti,Cr,Nb)O2 and their color properties

Synthesis of rutile pigments is based on solid state reaction and on Hedvall effect, i.e., phase transformation from anatase to rutile. Therefore, it is important to know the thermal behavior of these compounds (the temperature of this change). The goal was to prepare rutile pigments of type Ti_1?3xCr_xNb_2xO_2+x/2 by conventional solid state method from titanium dioxide TiO₂ (AV-01, anatase), to determine an influence of composition (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, 0.50) and calcination temperature (850; 900; 950; 1,000; 1,050; 1,100; 1,150 °C) on color properties of these compounds and to analyze other starting compounds of titanium (hydrated anatase paste TiO₂·nH₂O, titanyl sulfate dihydrate TiOSO₄·2H₂O (VKR 611), hydrated sodium titanium oxide paste Na₂Ti₄O₉·nH₂O) and their reaction mixtures for x = 0.05 by simultaneous TG–DTA analysis. According to the highest chroma C of color, the optimal conditions for synthesis of these pigments are concentration x = 0.05 and calcination temperature 1,050 °C and higher. It was observed that initial temperature 760–830 °C is needful for a formation of rutile structure. This temperature is the lowest for hydrated Na₂Ti₄O₉ paste (760 °C) and similar for other starting compounds of titanium.     

Synthesis and characterization of Na2O–CaO–SiO2 glass–ceramic

The Na₂O–CaO–SiO₂ ternary glass–ceramic with the composition of 49 mass% Na₂O, 20 mass% CaO, and 31 mass% SiO₂ was prepared by the conventional method. The ternary glass–ceramic was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The Na₂CaSiO₄ phase, having the cubic crystal system, with the crystallite size of 25.14 nm and lattice parameter of 0.7506 nm was determined from the XRD pattern. The activation energy of the glass–ceramic calculated from the DTA curves was found to be 162.02 kJ mol^?1. The Avrami exponent was found to be ~2 indicating a one-dimensional growth process. The mass loss percent from ambient temperature to 1,173 K is less than 1 %. The density was calculated to be 2,723 kg m^?3. The fine-grained microstructure with the particle sizes less than 1 μm was confirmed by the scanning electron microscope micrograph.     

Effect of TiO2 and SrO additions on some physical properties of 33Na2O–xSrO–xTiO2–(50 − 2x)B2O3–17P2O5 glasses

By means of the conventional quenching route, the glass series 33Na₂O–xSrO–xTiO₂–(50 ? 2x)B₂O₃–17P₂O₅ (x = 0–12.5 mol%) were prepared. The amorphous state of samples was verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Density, molar volume, micro-hardness, glass transition temperature (T _g), and crystallization temperature (T _c) parameters are determined for each glass. The results show that they depend strongly on the chemical compositions. The structure approach of the glasses is determined by Infrared spectroscopy (IR). This investigation highlights that the glassy-matrix contains various phosphate and borate structural units. The crystallization of the high-TiO₂ glasses by heat-treatments favors the formation of titanate phosphate Na₄TiO(PO₄)₂ or Sr_0.5Ti₂(PO₄)₃ along with Sr₃(PO₄)₂ inside the glass-matrix.     

Some physical properties concerning the thermal conductivity data of BaO-containing silicate glasses in relation to structure

The thermal conductivity, density, refractive index and viscosity of glasses with base composition (wt%): Na₂O, 20; CaO, 15; SiO₂ 65, in which CaO is partially replaced by BaO, have been investigated.Both the thermal conductivity and the viscosity—temperature values progressively decreased by introducing BaO to replace CaO in the glasses. Meanwhile, this replacement caused an increase in other properties, i.e., density and refractive index. The experimental measurements and calculated values of either thermal conductivity or viscosity agree fairly well. The observed effects were correlated to factors such as polarization, field strength and ionic radii of the incorporated divalent cations, and their effect on the geometrical arrangement of the building units of the glassy network.     

Thermal properties of sodium metasilicate hydrates

The heats of fusion and heat capacities at 298.2 K of Na₂SiO₃·5H₂O, Na₂SiO₃·6H₂O and Na₂SiO₃·9H₂O have been measured by DSC. The enthalpies and entropies of fusion increase with the water content of the hydrate and the entropy of fusion per mole of water is almost constant. The application of DSC/DTA to the analysis of metasilicate hydrate mixtures is discussed.     

Improving the visible-light photocatalytic activity of SnO<Subscript>x</Subscript>·SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> glass systems by introducing SnO<Subscript>x</Subscript> nanoparticles

Tin silicate glass without SnO_x nanoparticles (SiO₂·SnO_x), a silica glass containing only SnO_x nanoparticles (SiO₂·SnO_xNP) and the improved product, which combines the tin silicate glass with SnO_x nanoparticles (SiO₂·SnO_x·SnO_xNP) was prepared. For the structural analysis ¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were applied. The ¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer spectra showed that the SiO₂·SnO_x·SnO_xNP sample had the largest Sn^II content (12.0%). It also had an outstanding methylene blue degradation with the first-order rate value with (18?±?2) × 10^?3 min^?1 with visible light irradiation.     

Physico-chemical characterisation of zirconium-based self-bonded ETS-4 pellets

This paper reports a study of ETS-4 based self-bonded pellets, with several amounts of Zr moles in initial gel. The following gel composition is used: xNa₂O–0.6KF–1.28xHCl–yZrO₂–0.2TiO₂–1.49SiO₂–39.5H₂O with 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 2.5 and 0.015 ≤ y ≤ 0.12. The characterisation of obtained samples is carried out by XRD, thermal analysis, EDX and SEM. The results point out the possibility to synthesise ETS-4 zeotype with Zr in self-bonded pellets form. The importance of the amount and composition of the amorphous phase is underlined as binder of the ETS-4 crystals. Its amount is bigger at the outer face of the pellets, showing that the crystallisation occurred from the inner to the external face. Zirconium replaces titanium in the structure and its presence reinforces the mechanical resistance of the pellets.