New heavy metal oxide glasses based on Sb2O3

International audienceAntimony glass formation commonly requires conventional glass former such as oxides of silicon, germanium, boron or phosphorus or halides such as PbCl2, ZnCl2 or ZnBr2. Recently, a new family of glasses based on the binary systems Sb2O3-M2O (M=Li, Na and K) are reported. Ternary glasses synthesized in vitreous carbon and silicate crucibles were obtained in the combination Sb2O3-Na2O-(PbO or MoO3). Characteristics temperatures of these glasses have been measured using differential thermal analysis (DSC). Glass transition temperature, Tg, ranges from 539 to 555 K and the thermal stability range (Tx-Tg) lies between 31 and 95 K for binary glasses in the Sb2O3-MoO3. The incorporation of alkali oxides Na2O in ternary systems Sb2O3-Na2O-(PbO or MoO3) gives large vitreous area and enhances the stability of antimony glasses. Samples are red in binary Sb2O3-MoO3 and turn yellow by the addition of the alkali oxide. These glasses are opaque to UV light since they absorb radiation near 380 nm. Elastics moduli of these glasses were determined by the pulse-echo ultrasonic propagation. These glasses suggested having potential application as low phonon energy glasses for infrared transmission and hosts for rare earth ion in active devices