Dissolution retardation of solid silica during glass-batch melting

During glass-batch melting, solid silica (quartz) usually dissolves last. The measured rate of dissolution, while the temperature was increasing at a constant rate, was compared with the hypothetical diffusion-controlled volume flux from regularly distributed particles through concentration layers of a uniform thickness. The actual rate was up to two orders of magnitude lower than that of the “ideal” case, revealing a progressive inhibition of silica dissolution. As a measure of this retarded dissolution, we introduced a retardation factor defined as a ratio of the actual and “ideal” dissolution rates measured as the volume flux at the melt-particle interface. The severe inhibition of silica dissolution has been attributed to the irregular spatial distribution of silica particles that is associated with the formation of nearly saturated melt on a portion of their surfaces. Irregular shapes and unequal sizes of particles also contribute to their extended lifetime.     

Trapped-electron centers in pure and doped glassy silica: A review and synthesis

This paper reviews half a century of research on radiation-induced point defects in pure and doped glassy silica and its crystalline polymorph α quartz, placing emphasis on trapped-electron centers because the vast majority of all presently known point defects in various forms of SiO₂ are of the trapped-hole variety. The experimental technique most discussed here is electron spin resonance (ESR) because it provides the best means of identifying the point defects responsible for the otherwise difficult-to-attribute optical bands. It is emphasized that defects in α quartz have been unambiguously identified by exacting analyses of the angular dependencies of their ESR spectra in terms of the g matrix of the unpaired electron spin and the matrices of this spin's hyperfine interactions with non-zero-nuclear-spin ²⁹Si and ¹⁷O nuclides in pure α quartz and/or with substitutional ²⁷Al, ³¹P, or ⁷³Ge in quartz crystals respectively doped with Al, P, or Ge. Many defects in pure and doped glassy silica can be unambiguously identified by noting the virtual identities of their spin Hamiltonian parameters with those of their far better characterized doppelgangers in α quartz. In fact, the Ge(1) trapped-electron center in irradiated Ge-doped silica glass is shown here to have a crystal-like nature(!), being virtually indistinguishable from the Ge(II) center in Ge-doped α quartz [R.J. McEachern, J.A. Weil, Phys. Rev. B 49 (1994) 6698]. Still, there are other defects occurring in glassy silica that are not found in quartz, and vice versa. Nevertheless, those defects in glasses without quartz analogues can be identified by analogies with chemically similar defects found in one or both polymorphs and/or by comparison with the vast literature of ESR of paramagnetic atoms and small molecules. Oxygen “pseudo vacancies” comprising trigonally coordinated borons paired with trigonally coordinated silicons were proposed to exist in unirradiated B₂O₃–3SiO₂ glasses in order to account for observations of γ-ray-induced trapped-electron-type B- and Si-E′ centers [D.L. Griscom et al., J. Appl. Phys. 47 (1976) 960]. Analogous Al-E′ trapped-electron centers have been elucidated in silica glasses with Al impurities [K.L. Brower, Phys. Rev. B 20 (1979) 1799]). And it has been proposed [D.L. Griscom et al., J. Appl. Phys. 47 (1976) 960] that trapping of a second electron on such oxygen pseudo vacancies accounts for the predominant ESR-silent trapped-electron centers in irradiated silica glasses containing B or Al. The present paper additionally attempts to divine the identities of some of the ESR-silent radiation-induced trapped-electron centers in silica glasses free of foreign network-forming cations. This quest led to the doorstep of the most famous ESR-silent defect of all, the twofold-coordinated silicon, which is found only in silica glasses (not in quartz) and is responsible for the UV/visible optical properties of the oxygen-deficiency center known as ODC(II). The oxygen-deficiency center called ODC(I) is associated with an absorption band at 7.6 eV and, though commonly believed to be a simple oxygen mono-vacancy, is clearly more complicated than that [e.g., A.N. Trukhin, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 352 (2006) 3002]. Certain well documented but persistently enigmatic ODC(I)?ODC(II) “interconversions” [reviewed by L. Skuja, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 239 (1998) 16] have never been explained to universal satisfaction. An innovative combined ESR/thermo-stimulated-luminescence (TSL) study of a series of pure low-OH silica glasses with oxygen deficiencies of 0.000, ~ 0.015, and ~ 0.030 vol.% [A.N. Trukhin et al., J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 353 (2007) 1560] places new constraints on all future models for ODC(II). Taking this history into account, specific redefinitions of both ODC(I) and ODC(II) are proposed here. The present review also revisits a study of X-ray-induced point defects in an ultra-low-OH, high-chlorine but otherwise ultra-high-purity silica glass [D.L. Griscom, E.J. Friebele, Phys. Rev. B34 (1986) 7524], arguing that (1) most of the reported E′_γ and E′_δ centers were created via the mechanism of dissociative electron capture at chlorine-decorated oxygen vacancies, (2) the concomitantly created interstitial chloride ions serve as ESR-silent trapped-electron traps, (3) the ESR-detected “Cl⁰” centers arise from hole trapping on O₃≡ Si–Cl units without detachment of the resulting Cl atom, and (4) those chlorine atoms that are detached by homolytic bond fission are ESR-silent. Finally, in chlorine-free, low-OH, high-purity silica glasses, up to 100% of the trapped-electron centers appear to be ESR silent and are tentatively ascribed to electron trapping in pairs below the mobility edge of the conduction band. In such cases, the sum of all trapped-hole centers has been found to decay exponentially with increasing isochronal annealing temperature in the range 100 to ~ 300 K [D.L. Griscom, Nucl. Inst. & Methods B46 (1990) 12]. Overall, this review consolidates a large amount of long-existing but often underappreciated knowledge bearing on the natures of trapped-electron centers in pure and doped glassy silica, proposes new models for some of these, and raises a number of questions that cannot be fully answered without future performance of new experiments and/or ab initio calculations.     

Polymorphic single crystal ↔ single crystal transformations in Rb0.975Cs0.025NO3

The crystal growth morphology of modifications IV, III, II, and I during the IV ↔ III ↔ II ↔ I polymorphic transformations in Rb_0.975Cs_0.025NO₃ has been investigated by optical microscopy. The equilibrium temperatures between phases IV and III (T ₀ = 393 ± 0.5 K), III and II (T ₀ = 421 ± 0.5 K), and II and I (T ₀ = 497 ± 0.5 K) of the crystal studied have been determined. It is established that these transformations are of the single crystal ↔ single crystal type and occur with the formation and growth of new-crystal nuclei in crystalline matrices.     

Optical absorption of glassy semiconductors of the GeSbSe system

The optical transmittance of chalcogenide glasses Ge₂SbSe₇ (I), Ge₃SbSe₆ (II), GeSb₂Se₇ (III) and GeSbSe₃ (IV) was studied in the near infrared spectral region, 0.7–25 μm. The longwavelength tail of the absorption edge can be described by Urbach's rule. At higher absorption levels the absorption coefficient K depends quadratically on the energy of incident radiation. The temperature dependence of the absorption edge is discussed and the optical gaps 1.77 eV (I), 1.67 eV (II), 1.66 eV (III), 1.57 eV (IV) together with the corresponding temperature coefficients are also determined. The studied glasses are quite transparent in the 600–5000 cm^?1 wavenumber range.     

Multi-stage work hardening in soft KCl crystals

In order to verify notions about the nature of the stage behaviour in KCl crystals the influence of purity and dimensions of KCl crystals on the stage behaviour of the workhardening curve τ(ϵ) has been studied. It is shown that in soft KCl crystals up to six stages of work hardening are observed. With increasing rigidity and decreasing sample dimensions (less than 2 mm² cross section) the number of observable stages is reduced to three. As work hardening builds up the extent of odd stages (I, III, V) grows and that of even stages (II, IV) falls. The dependence of 1/γ on strain ϵ (γ-activation “volume” of dislocation motion) for all the crystals studied is shown to replicate the τ(ϵ) curve. The rule of increasing the linear density of thermally surmountable obstacles on dislocations is the same for every pair of stages. This indicates that the nature of stages III and V is the same and caused by the activity of new slip systems oblique to the primarily active in stages II and IV, respectively.     

Water in nanoconfined and biological environments : (Plenary Talk, Ngai-Ruocco 2009 IDMRCS Conf.)

We discuss some recent progress in understanding the anomalous behavior of liquid water, by combining information provided by recent experiments and simulations on water in bulk, nanoconfined, and biological environments. We interpret evidence from recent experiments designed to test the hypothesis that liquid water may display “polymorphism” in that it can exist in two different phases — and discuss recent work on water's transport anomalies as well as the unusual behavior of water in biological environments. Finally, we will discuss how the general concept of liquid polymorphism may prove useful in understanding anomalies in other liquids, such as silicon, silica, and carbon, as well as metallic glasses which have in common that they are characterized by two characteristic length scales in their interactions.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of polymorphic and polyamorphic transitions in tetrahedral network glasses: BeF2 and GeO2

It is well know that tetrahedral network glasses have anomalous properties such as a density maximum and bulk modulus minimum. The magnitudes of such anomalous properties are different among tetrahedral network glasses. The origin of this anomaly has not been explained yet. We had already analyzed the local structural changes in SiO₂ in terms of transformation of ‘structon’. The fragments of Si₂O₇ were categorized into four types named alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-‘structons’. In this study we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structural changes in crystalline and vitreous BeF₂ and GeO₂. First the simulated BeF₂ cristobalite and quartz clearly reproduce their alpha–beta transitions and the density in the vitreous BeF₂ shows a maximum around 2300 K. On the contrary, GeO₂ shows weak alpha–beta like transitions in cristobalite and quartz, and a density maximum is not observed in the vitreous phase. Next we perform the ‘structon’ analyses on BeF₂ and GeO₂. For the BeF₂ system the conversion between alpha- and beta-‘structons’ are almost complete, as previously observed in our study on the SiO₂ system. On the other hand, such transformation is incomplete in the GeO₂ system. We discuss similarities and dissimilarities between SiO₂, BeF₂, and GeO₂.     

Vibrational spectroscopic studies of some lead silicate glasses

Results are presented of measurements on the infrared and laser Raman spectra of some lead silicate glasses of general formula (PbO)_x(SiO₂)_y.For the infrared spectra, the frequency dependence of the imaginary component of the complex dielectric constant was determined from a Kramers-Krönig analysis of the reflectance spectra of the glasses at normal incidence. Apparently the addition of small amounts of PbO to vitreous silica serves to modify the continuous three-dimensional silica network; whereas in those glasses with a high lead content, the influence of the cation, Pb²⁺, appears to lie between that of network former and network modifier.     

Properties and structure of AsTe glasses (II). Local order parameters and structural model

Diffraction measurements on bulk and thin films AsTe glasses are reported, throughout the whole range of stability. FNP distances and areas, average valence angles and compactness are determined from the Fourier transform. For As-rich glasses important differences are found between short-range order in both vitreous and crystalline states. An interpretation at the molecular scale is proposed. It takes account of the particular topological properties of the AsTe molecules, which are evidenced by hand-made models. The proposed structure consists of a network of AsTe_3/2 units which are interconnected through “AsAs locks”. It is shown that these “locks” play a crucial role in the stability of the As-rich glasses in favoring strongly the covalent bonds. On the other hand, in Te-rich glasses there is no similar locking mechanism. The presence of threefold-coordinated tellurium sites enhances the metallic character, and weakens the difference between crystalline and vitreous states. The structural models which are proposed enable us to explain the anomalies and the discontinuities of most thermodynamic properties which are described in paper I.     

X-ray spectroscopic investigation of the structure of silica,silicates and oxides in the crystalline and vitreous state

The Si Kα_1,2 emission lines and their satellite lines α′, α₃ and α₄ were measured for several samples of vitreous silica (Suprasil W, Infrasil, Suprasil), sodium silicate glasses (8, 15, 20 and 25 wt% Na₂O), and crystalline Mg₂SiO₄ (Forsterite). The observed shifts of the peak positions indicate a systematic increase of the electron density on the silicon atoms with increasing break-up of the SiO₂ network by OH^? or alkali ions. These results are compared with information from the corresponding Si Kβ and O K emission bands and also with the O K emission bands from quartz, MgO and Al₂O₃. They are discussed on the basis of the MO theory and are compared with the characteristic physical properties and structure of silica and silicate glasses. Both the O K and Si Kβ emission bands are closely related to the electronegativities of the relevant metal atoms of the oxides and glasses.     

Structural changes during the crystallization of the Bi4Ge3O12 glasses

Bismuth-germanate glass ceramics with the composition 40% Bi₂O₃-60% GeO₂ (in molar percents) were prepared through controlled crystallization of melt-quenched glass. The Raman and FTIR spectra recorded in the as-made glasses show broad bands at 240, 400, 780 cm^− 1 and 400, 745 cm^− 1 have been assigned Ge-O bonds which appear right after preparation. X-ray diffraction has shown that the as-made glasses are amorphous, but after annealing above the crystallization temperature at 558 °C, BGO nano-crystallites with a size of about 50 nm precipitate in the glass matrix. The Raman and FTIR spectra reveal sharp peaks associated to the “internal” and “external vibrations” of GeO₄ tetrahedral groups inside the BGO nano-crystallites. In the glass ceramic sample the transparency region is shifted at longer wavelengths compared to as-made glass, due to the Rayleigh scattering on the BGO nano-crystallites.     

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy: A new tool for the study of glasses in the far infrared

Terahertz time-domain transmission spectroscopy was used to obtain the absorption coefficients and refractive indices of polycrystalline quartz, amorphous silica, Pyrex and BK7 glasses. The results were analyzed in terms of the power-law model of far-infrared absorption. Evidence of the Boson peak was seen in the absorption spectra. Relationships were observed between THz absorption and refractive indices on the one hand, and glass structure and properties on the other. THz TDS is demonstrated to be a useful tool in the study of far-infrared transmission properties of glasses, producing low-noise, high resolution measurements of absorption coefficients and refractive indices.     

The changes in lead silicate glasses induced by the addition of a reducing agent (TiN or SiC)

Foam glasses can be prepared from lead silicate glasses through reaction with a reducing agent such as TiN or SiC. The environmental impact and specific characteristics of the final product (e.g., density, porosity, and thermal and mechanical properties) depend on the reaction processes that occur during expansion. The mechanisms of foam glass formation are determined in this study from experimental results, which we also use to determine the structural differences between the bulk (lead silicate glass before treatment) and foam glass (after heating the lead silicate glass with a reducing agent). This paper also presents measurements of the variation of the concentration of the divalent cation Pb(II) in the vitreous network (which initially contains 2–5 mol% PbO) during the expansion process. These results were obtained with various methods, including X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry. Our results show that a small proportion (about 20%) of the initial Pb(II) in network modifying sites is reduced to Pb metal, and the remaining proportion is present in the vitreous network as Pb(II) with another particular environment. Increasing the amount of SiC or TiN results in increased reduction of Pb(II). The quantity of the reducing agent can be optimized with respect to the temperature, pressure, and reaction rate.     

Tracer diffusion of 22Na and 45Ca,ionic conduction and viscosity of two standard soda-lime glasses and their undercooled melts

The tracer diffusivities of ⁴⁵Ca in two different high purity standard soda-lime silica glasses have been measured by the radiotracer method below and above their calorimetric glass transition temperatures. Calorimetric glass transition temperatures (T_g) of 845 K and 867 K have been obtained for standard glasses I and II, respectively, using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at a heating rate of 20 K/min. In this paper, we focus on the results of ⁴⁵Ca diffusion and conductivity of the two standard soda-lime glasses and compare them with ²²Na diffusivities also obtained in our laboratory [E.M. Tanguep Njiokep, H. Mehrer, Solid State Ionics 177 (2006) 2839, E.M. Tanguep Njiokep, H. Mehrer, Defect Diffus Forum 237–240 (2005) 282]. The ⁴⁵Ca diffusion coefficients obtained are found to follow the Arrhenius law, both below (Tanguep Njiokep and Mehrer, 2006, 2005) and above T_g. In the Arrhenius diagram a change of slope of the ⁴⁵Ca diffusivities appears at 835 K for standard glass I and at 790 K for standard glass II. At the same time, the ionic conductivities display a change in slope at 790 K and 778 K for standard glasses I and II, respectively. These temperatures are somewhat smaller than the calorimetric glass transition temperatures obtained at a heating rate of 20 K/min. Rather, they appear to be close to values of T_g obtained by extrapolation to a vanishing heating rate (Tanguep Njiokep and Mehrer, 2006). The viscosity diffusion of standard glass I is considerably smaller than the conductivity diffusion coefficient and both tracer diffusivities. In both glasses the ionic conductivity is essentially due to the motion of Na ions. The contribution of Ca ions to the conductivity is negligible.     

Crystallization of glasses in the germanium-tellurium-sulphur system

The glasses of the germanium-tellurium-sulphur ternary system were investigated in order to determine the formation and crystallization processes. Vitreous samples were prepared by quenching. The vitreous transition and crystallization temperatures, together with microhardnesses, were measured throughout the vitreous region. The latter was sub-divided into several zones, and the behaviour of the glasses in each of these zones was analyzed separately.     

Electronic relaxation in zinc iron phosphate glasses

The electrical and dielectric properties of 10ZnO-30Fe₂O₃-60P₂O₅ (mol%) glasses, melted at different temperatures were measured by impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range from 0.01 Hz to 3 MHz and over the temperature range from 303 to 473 K. It was shown that the dc conductivity strongly depends on the Fe(II)/[Fe(II) + Fe(III)] ratio. With increasing Fe(II) ion content from 17% to 37% in these glasses, the dc conductivity increases. Procedure of scaling conductivity data measured at various temperatures into a single master curve is given. The conductivity of the present glasses is made of conduction and conduction-related polarization of the polaron hopping between Fe(II) and Fe(III), both governed by the same relaxation time, τ. The high frequency dispersion in electrical conductivity arises from the distribution in τ caused by the disordered glass structure. The evolution of the complex permittivity as a function of frequency and temperature was investigated. At low frequency the dispersion was investigated in terms of dielectric loss. The thermal activated relaxation mechanism dominates the observed relaxation behavior. The relationship between relaxation parameters and electrical conductivity indicates the electronic conductivity controlled by polaron hopping between iron ions.     

Structural features of hafnium iron phosphate glasses

Structural features and properties of a series of hafnium iron phosphate glasses have been investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Mössbauer spectra indicate that all of the glasses contain both Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions. The isomer shift values obtained from the Mössbauer fits show that both Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions are in octahedral or distorted octahedral coordination. The crystalline HfP₂O₇ phase was detected in all the samples by powder X-ray diffraction but this did not degrade the chemical durability of the glasses as the dissolution rates of the glasses are comparable to that of base iron phosphate glass.     

Chemistry of cultural glasses: the early medieval glasses of Monselice's hill (Padova, Italy)

To investigate the mechanisms of deterioration of historical glasses, under natural evolution, some early medieval glasses from the archaeological site of the Monselice's hill have been analysed. By an archaeological approach, developed at the Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Antichità, University of Padova, the glasses were dated between the VI and the beginning of the VII century and they were ascribed to the same artist or school. By a geological approach, developed at the Dipartimento di Mineralogia e Petrologia, University of Padova, it was found that some pieces of glasses, from the same archaeological site, were made of silica, rich in sodium and calcium, with iron and manganese. The composition was analogous the one of glasses produced during Roman empire, using `natron' (Na<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>·NaHCO<sub>3</sub>·2H<sub>2</sub>O) as melting agent and glasses produced during medieval age, in the Mediterranean basin, using plant ash like `Salsola Kali' as melting agent. It was also found that there was a surface layer, with a special lamellar structure, easy to remove. The surface layer was found poor in alkali and alkaline-earth elements. By surface and microscopic analyses (optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, microRaman, XPS, SIMS and Mössbauer) it has been found that all the samples have a composition rich in silica, sodium and calcium except one that, unexpectedly, was rich in potassium and poorer in sodium. This sample, as composition, seems just like medieval glasses produced north of the Alps, using plant ash like ferns as melting agent. In all the samples the surface layers have less alkaline elements and the depletion goes to ten μm of depth. The extreme consequence of this depletion is the formation, in some samples, of an alteration layer, easy to remove, that the XPS analyses tell us it is made of very hydrated silica. The surface layers show a little accumulation of calcium. The calcium ion is also present in some birefringent crystal aggregates immersed in the glass that, in some samples, are around one mm large. These aggregates have a circular shape, with a nucleation centre in them. By microRaman spectroscopy it was found that the crystal aggregates are made of vateritic and calcitic calcium carbonate. By Mössbauer spectroscopy it was found that in the flat yellow coloured glasses, richer in iron, the Fe(III) species predominates. Instead in the pale green ones, poorer in iron, the Fe(II) prevails.     

Effect of quenching rate and annealing on ESR of Cu2+ and γ-induced Cd+ in low alkali borate glasses

A new ESR hyperfine structure (hfs) of Cu²⁺ was detected in moderately (cooling rate ≈ 3 K/s) and rapidly (10³–10⁵K/s) quenched borate glasses with Na₂O content smaller than 5 mol% in addition to the already reported three patterns, spectra I, II and III, for the moderately quenched borate glasses with 5 ? [Na₂O]?13, 20 ? [Na₂O] ?37 and 55 ? [Na₂O] ? 75, respectively. The ESR parameters of this spectrum were much the same as those of II, but a significant difference was observed between thermal stabilities of these spectra. The newly observed spectrum was named spectrum II′. A superposition of spectra II′ and I was seen in low alkali borate glasses ([Na₂O] ? 5 mol%). The relative intensity of II′ to I increased remarkably with increasing quenching rate of the melts and with decreasing alkali content under the same quenching condition. In addition, spectrum II′ was found to relax into I upon thermal annealing of the glasses. Similar changes were observed also in ESR of the γ-induced Cd⁺ with 5s¹ electronic configuration. A tentative model to account for the spectral changes was proposed on the basis of the characteristics of B—O bonding.     

Inelastic neutron and low-frequency Raman scattering in a niobium-phosphate glass for Raman gain applications

We present measurements of the vibrational spectrum of a binary niobium-phosphate glass in the THz frequency range using inelastic neutron and Raman scattering. The spectra of these glasses show a low-frequency enhancement of the vibrational density of states (“boson peak”). Using a recently developed theory of vibrational excitations in disordered solids we are able to reconcile the measured neutron and Raman spectra using fluctuating elastic and Pockels constants as a model concept. As the spontaneous Raman susceptibility is a key parameter for Raman amplification our results suggest a significant gain profile for application of niobium-phosphate glasses in Raman amplifiers.