Surface hydration and nanoindentation of silicate glasses

The near-surface mechanical properties of glasses and differences in mechanical behaviour between high and low durability silicate glasses are investigated. Nanoindentation is used to examine the effect of hydration on the near-surface mechanical properties of silicate glasses with varying degrees of chemical durability. It is shown that hydration has little if any effect on high durability glasses even at long immersion times, whereas in low durable glasses hydration reduces the near-surface mechanical properties significantly and the thickness of hydrated layer may exceed the indentation depth. In addition an attempt is made to measure the thickness and mechanical properties of hydrated layer in low durability glasses where influence of the substrate is negligible.     

Crystal growth and structure of three new neodymium containing silicates: Na0.50Nd4.50(SiO4)3O,Na0.63Nd4.37(SiO4)3O0.74F0.26 and Na4.74Nd4.26(O0.52F0.48)[SiO4]4

Single crystals of Na_0.50Nd_4.50(SiO₄)₃O, Na_0.63Nd_4.37(SiO₄)₃O_0.74F_0.26, and Na_4.74Nd_4.26(O_0.52F_0.48)[SiO₄]₄ were synthesized via flux growth using a NaF/KF eutectic flux and the crystal structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Na_0.50Nd_4.50(SiO₄)₃O and Na_0.63Nd_4.37(SiO₄)₃O_0.74F_0.26 adopt the apatite structure and crystallize in the hexagonal space group P6₃/m, while Na_4.74Nd_4.26(O_0.52F_0.48)[SiO₄]₄ crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I-4 and exhibits rare-earth mixing on the sodium site. The unit cells of the crystals are a = 9.5400(3) Å and c = 7.0331(5) Å for Na_0.50Nd_4.50(SiO₄)₃O, a = 9.5533(3) Å and c = 7.0510(4) Å for Na_0.63Nd_4.37(SiO₄)₃O_0.74F_0.26, and a = 12.1255(3) Å and c = 5.4656(2) Å for Na_4.74Nd_4.26(O_0.52F_0.48)[SiO₄]₄. These three compounds exhibit three-dimensional crystal structures that are discussed in detail in this paper.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance and the thermoluminescence emission mechanism of the 280 °C peak in natural andalusite crystal

Samples of natural andalusite (Al₂SiO₅) crystal have been investigated in terms of thermoluminescence (TL) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements. The TL glow curves of samples previously annealed at 600 °C for 30 min and subsequently gamma-irradiated gave rise to four glow peaks at 150, 210, 280 and 350 °C. The EPR spectra of natural samples heat-treated at 600 °C for 30 min show signals at g=5.94 and 2.014 that do not change after gamma irradiation and thermal treatments. However, it was observed that the appearance of a paramagnetic center at g=1.882 for the samples annealed at 600 °C for 30 min followed gamma irradiation. This line was attributed to Ti³⁺ centers. The EPR signals observed at g=5.94 and 2.014 are due to Fe³⁺. Correlations between EPR and TL results of these crystals show that the EPR line at g=1.882 and the TL peak at 280 °C can be attributed to the same defect center.     

Rare Earth Carbodiimide Silicates: RE2(CN2)(SiO4)

Rare earth carbodiimide silicates RE₂(CN₂)(SiO₄) with RE = Y, La, and Pr were synthesised by solid state metathesis reactions of RECl₃, Li₂(CN₂), and SiO₂ or Li₂SiO₄, respectively, in silica tubes at 550 °C. All three compounds crystallise with different structures, although all of them represent distorted derivatives of the sodium chloride type structure. The structure of Y₂(CN₂)(SiO₄) was refined monoclinically (C2/m, Z = 2, a = 1301.382(5) pm, b = 377.630(1) pm, c = 527.656(2) pm, β = 93.9816(2) °) from X‐ray powder data. The crystal structure of La₂(CN₂)(SiO₄) was refined in a different monoclinic space group (P2₁/c, Z = 4, a = 660.3(1) pm, b = 1282.0(2) pm, c = 656.2(1) pm, β = 105.23(2) °), and the structure of Pr₂(CN₂)(SiO₄) was refined triclinically (P\bar{1} , Z = 2, a = 646.7(2) pm, b = 669.2(2) pm, c = 671.8(2) pm, α = 86.18(3) °, β = 73.22(3) °, γ = 74.08(3) °) from X‐ray single crystal data.     

Structural study of sol-gel silicate glasses by IR and Raman spectroscopies

A study of the structure and bonding configuration of sol-gel silicate glasses by Raman and infrared spectroscopies is presented. Moreover, a review of the Raman lines and infrared bands assignment, the identification of the non-bridging silicon-oxygen groups and the ring structures are also demonstrated. The evolution of the changes of the bonding configuration in the composition and the stabilization temperature of the bioactive glasses is discussed in terms of the structural and textural characteristics of the glasses. Raman and infrared analyses contribute to the improvement in understanding of the local symmetry for sol-gel silicate glasses. infrared spectroscopy has allowed to identify the vibration bands of the hydroxyl groups associated with various configurations of the terminal silanol bonds on the glass surface and the free molecular water in the glass matrix. Raman analysis has provided an alternative method of quantifying the network connectivity grade and predicting the textural properties of the sol-gel silicate glasses.     

Comparative computational investigation of N and F substituted polyoxoanionic compounds: The case of Li2FeSiO4 electrode material

First principles calculations are used to anticipate the electrochemistry of polyoxoanionic materials consisting of XO_{4 − y}A_y (A = F, N) groups. As an illustrative case, this work focuses on the effect of either N or F for O substitution upon the electrochemical properties of Li₂FeSiO₄. Within the Pmn2₁–Li₂FeSiO₄ structure, virtual models of Li₂Fe₂^2.5+SiO_3.5N_0.5 and Li_1.5Fe²⁺SiO_3.5F_0.5 have been analyzed. We predict that the lithium deinsertion voltage associated to the Fe^3+/Fe⁴⁺ redox couple is decreased by both substituents. The high theoretical specific capacity of Li₂FeSiO₄ (330 mAh/g) could be retained in N-substituted silicates thanks to the oxidation of N³⁻ anions, whilst Li_1.5Fe²⁺SiO_3.5F_0.5 has a lower specific capacity inherent to the F substitution. Substitution of N/F for O will respectively improve/worsen the electrode characteristics of Li₂FeSiO₄.     

MAS-NMR studies of lithium aluminum silicate (LAS) glasses and glass-ceramics having different Li2O/Al2O3 ratio

Emergence of phases in lithium aluminum silicate (LAS) glasses of composition (wt%) xLi₂O-71.7SiO₂-(17.7−x)Al₂O₃-4.9K₂O-3.2B₂O₃-2.5P₂O₅ (5.1≤x≤12.6) upon heat treatment were studied. ²⁹Si, ²⁷Al, ³¹P and ¹¹B MAS-NMR were employed for structural characterization of both LAS glasses and glass-ceramics. In glass samples, Al is found in tetrahedral coordination, while P exists mainly in the form of orthophosphate units. B exists as BO₃ and BO₄ units. ²⁷Al NMR spectra show no change with crystallization, ruling out the presence of any Al containing phase. Contrary to X-ray diffraction studies carried out, ¹¹B (high field 18.8 T) and ²⁹Si NMR spectra clearly indicate the unexpected crystallization of a borosilicate phase (Li,K)BSi₂O₆, whose structure is similar to the aluminosilicate virgilite. Also, lithium disilicate (Li₂Si₂O₅), lithium metasilicate (Li₂SiO₃) and quartz (SiO₂) were identified in the ²⁹Si NMR spectra of the glass-ceramics. ³¹P NMR spectra of the glass-ceramics revealed the presence of Li₃PO₄ and a mixed phase (Li,K)₃PO₄ at low alkali concentrations.     

Effects of pre-irradiation treatment on EPR,optical absorption and TL of albite

In the present work pre-irradiation annealing effect was investigated in albite, NaAlSi 3 O 8 , a silicate crystal. Albite powder samples were heated at 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 v C for 40 minutes, and then submitted to n -irradiation. Results show that first TL peak (around 160 v C) decreases with annealing temperature, while higher temperature peaks strongly increase. EPR signal around g factor 2, attributed to Al-O m -Al centers, increase with annealing temperature too, as well as optical absorption bands that appear in the crystal after relatively strong n -dose irradiation (of some kGys).     

Preparation and luminescent properties of BaCa2Si3O9:Eu

A blue emitting phosphor of the triclinic BaCa₂Si₃O₉:Eu²⁺ was prepared by the combustion-assisted synthesis method and an efficient blue emission ranging from the ultraviolet to visible was observed. The luminescence and crystallinity were investigated using luminescence spectrometry and X-ray diffractometry (XRD), respectively. The emission spectrum shows a single intensive band centered at 445 nm, which corresponds to the 4f⁶5d¹→4f⁷ transition of Eu²⁺. The excitation spectrum is a broad extending from 260 to 450 nm, which matches the emission of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs). The critical quenching concentration of Eu²⁺ in BaCa₂Si₃O₉:Eu²⁺ phosphor is about 0.05 mol. The corresponding concentration quenching mechanism is verified to be a dipole-dipole interaction. The CIE of the optimized sample Ba_0.95Ca₂Si₃O₉:Eu_0.05²⁺ was (x, y)=(0.164, 0.111). The result indicates that BaCa₂Si₃O₉:Eu²⁺ can be potentially useful as a UV radiation-converting phosphor for white light-emitting diodes (LEDs).     

xCaSiO3·LiBO2固溶体中硅氧四面体微结构形态的拉曼光谱研究

本文测定了xCaSiO3*LiBO2(重量比,x=0, 0.25, 0.33, 0.50)系列的拉曼光谱,分析了硅氧四面体的微结构形态及其随SiO2 浓度的变化.结果表明,在所研究的浓度范围内,其微结构单元,即Qi ( i = 0～4) 均以孤立的硅氧四面体存在,且随SiO2 浓度的增加, Q2, Q4 的丰度有明显增加;此外,硅氧四面体的伸缩振动谱峰的积分强度总和与SiO2 浓度呈线性相关,为采用拉曼光谱直接分析矿物、炉渣、玻璃和土壤中的SiO2 提供了可能.