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.     

Thermodynamic model and structure of CaO–P2O5 glasses

The distribution of Q-units of CaO–P₂O₅ glasses was described by the thermodynamic model of Shakhmatkin and Vedishcheva. The glass was considered as the ideal solution of CaO, P₂O₅, CaP₂O₆, Ca₂P₂O₇, and Ca₃P₂O₈. In the first step, molar Gibbs energies of considered species were taken from the FACT thermodynamic database. The obtained result was compared with ³¹P solid-state NMR study of Roiland. It was shown that the calculated values were in fairly good agreement with the experimental values. After that, the nonlinear regression treatment was used for optimization of molar Gibbs energies by minimizing the sum of squares of deviations between experimental and calculated Q-distribution. In such a manner, the non-ideality of the system was reflected. In the studied case, no significant improvement of obtained results was achieved by this procedure—thus, the ideal solution assumption included in the thermodynamic model of Shakhmatkin and Vedishcheva holds very well for the studied binary glasses.     

Influence of SrO content on microstructure and crystallization of glazes in the SiO2–Al2O3–CaO–MgO–K2O system

The effect of the SrO addition on the microstructure and structure of the glazes from the SiO₂–Al₂O₃–CaO–MgO–K₂O system was investigated in this study. The results were obtained by testing the ability of the frits crystallization, the stability of the crystallizing phases during the single-step fast-firing cycle depending on their chemical composition and the effect of addition of strontium oxide. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves showed that all glazes crystallized, and diopside and anorthite were mainly identified as dominant phases in the obtained glazes, while the size and amount of each depended on the amount of SrO introduced. The thermal characteristic of the frits was carried out using DSC, and crystalline phases were determined by X-ray diffractometry. The glaze microstructure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Additional information on the microstructure of frits was derived from spectroscopic studies in the mid-infrared range.

     

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.     

Thermodynamic model and Raman spectra of MgO–P2O5 glasses

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The structure of binary glasses xMgO·(1?x)P2O5 (x?=?0.30, 0.35, 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, and 0.55) was studied by thermodynamic model...     

Raman spectroscopic study of CuO–V2O5–P2O5–CaO glass system

In order to evidence the structural changes induced by CuO and V₂O₅ in the phosphate glass network and their modifier or former role, x(CuO·V₂O₅)(100 − x)[P₂O₅·CaO] glass system was prepared and investigated using Raman spectroscopy (0 ≤ x ≤ 40 mol%).Raman spectra of the studied glasses present the specific bands of the phosphate glasses at low concentration of transition metal (TM) ions, but at higher concentration (x > 7 mol%) a strong depolymerization of the phosphate network appears; non-bridging oxygen atoms are involved in VOP and CuOP bonds and new short units are formed. For a high concentration of V₂O₅ (x > 10 mol%) the Raman bands of V₂O₅ prevail in the spectra; this fact suggests that vanadium oxide imposes its structural units in the network acting thus as a network glass former.2D correlation analysis was also applied for the concentration-dependent Raman spectra in order to verify the assignments of the vibration modes and to find correlations in the changes induced by TM ions content. 2D correlation maps indicate a good correlation between the bands at ∼705 cm⁻¹ assigned to POP stretching vibration and at ∼1175 cm⁻¹ assigned to PO₂ groups which suggest the depolymerization of the phosphate network. The correlation between the 1270 cm⁻¹ and 930 cm⁻¹ bands also suggests that V₂O₅ oxide is responsible for PO bonds breaking and POV formation.     

Comparison of the impact of the addition of three alkaline earth metal oxides BaO,SrO and ZnO on sintering of glass–ceramic glazes from the SiO2–Al2O2–CaO–MgO–Na2O–K2O system

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Glazes are the most important elements in the technology of producing the ceramic wares. They not only give aesthetic effects, like color and gloss,...     

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.     

Electric Conductivity of Glasses in the MgO–V2O5–P2O5 System

Russian Journal of Electrochemistry - Amorphous glasses of the composition xMgO–yP2O5– (100 – x – y)V2O5 with x = 1–5 and y = 5, 10, and 15 mol % are obtained by the...     

Phase equilibria in the oxide system Nd2O3–K2O–P2O5

A phase equilibria diagram of the partial system NdPO₄–K₃PO₄–KPO₃ has been developed as part of the research aimed at determining the phase equilibrium relationships in the oxide system Nd₂O₃–K₂O–P₂O₅. The investigations were conducted using thermoanalytical techniques, X-ray powder diffraction analysis and reflected-light microscopy. Three isopleths existing between: K₃Nd(PO₄)₂–K₄P₂O₇, NdPO₄–K₅P₃O₁₀ and NdPO₄–K₄P₂O₇ have been identified in the partial NdPO₄–K₃PO₄–KPO₃ system. Previously unknown potassium-neodymium phosphate “K₄Nd₂P₄O₁₅” has been discovered in the latter isopleth section. This phosphate exists in the solid phase up to a temperature of 890 °C at which it decomposes into the parent phosphates NdPO₄ and K₄P₂O₇. Four invariant points: two quasi-ternary eutectics, E₁ (1057 °C) and E₂ (580 °C) and two quasi-ternary peritectics, P₁ (1078 °C) and P₂ (610 °C), occur in the NdPO₄–K₃PO₄–KPO₃ region.     

Correction to: Thermodynamic model and Raman spectra of MgO–P2O5 glasses

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Convection heat transfer in cavities has attracted much attention from researchers. Many kinds of nanofluids have exhibited non-Newtonian behavior and...     

Kinetics of nonisothermal crystallization of Cs2O–Fe2O3–P2O5 glasses

The crystallization kinetics of Cs₂O–Fe₂O₃–P₂O₅ glasses containing 12.5–27 mol% Cs₂O were studied by using differential scanning calorimetry under nonisothermal conditions. Strong dependence of activation energy with temperature was observed, indicating the complex nature of the crystallization process. The various crystallization products were identified by X-ray diffraction technique. CsFeP₂O₇ was found to be the major crystalline phase in all cases. The overall activation energy obtained by classical model-free kinetic method was compared with that of isoconversional method; and from the results, the dependence of activation energy on extent of reaction and average temperature was delineated.     

Thermal properties of Na2O–P2O5–Fe2O3 polyphosphate glasses

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Iron phosphate glasses are materials that can have many applications like durable matrixes in waste immobilization techniques, biomaterials,...     

Experimental study and thermodynamic modeling of the MgO–NiO–SiO2 system

The MgO–NiO–SiO₂ system has been studied by a combination of thermodynamic modeling and experimental measurements of phase equilibria. A complete literature review, critical evaluation and thermodynamic modeling of phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties of all oxide phases in the MgO–NiO–SiO₂ system at 1 atm total pressure are presented. To resolve the contradictions in the literature data, a new experimental investigation has been carried out over the temperature range from (1400 to 1650) °C using an equilibration and quenching technique followed by electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA). Tie-lines between olivine and monoxide, olivine and proto-pyroxene, liquid and olivine and liquid and cristobalite have been measured. The whole set of experimental data, including the new experimental results and previously published data, has been taken into consideration in thermodynamic modeling of oxide phases in the MgO–NiO–SiO₂ system. The Modified Quasichemical Model has been used for the liquid phase. A simple random mixing model with a polynomial expansion of the excess Gibbs energy has been used for the monoxide solid solution. The models for olivine and proto-pyroxene were developed within the framework of the Compound Energy Formalism. The optimized model parameters reproduce all available thermodynamic and phase diagram data within experimental error limits.