Correlation between the dimensionality and the constants of elasticity of rare-earth doped borate glasses

Abstract

This work was devoted to explore the correlation between the dimensionality and the computed theoretically constants of elasticity of borate based glasses doped with rareearth oxides. The dimensionality of the glassy network has been calculated in terms of the d ratio which is equal to 4 C 44 /K e and discussed in terms of the crosslink density and number of network bonds per unit volume of these glasses. Constants of elasticity were calculated in terms of the bond compression model and the Makishima-Mackenzie model. The average crosslink density, the number of networ k bonds per unit volume, the average stretchingforce constant, and the ratio of the estimated bulk modulus (Kbc) to the experimentally determined (Ke) have been calculated and discussed in terms of the bondcompre ssion model. Young's modulus, the packing density, and the dissociation energy have been calculated and analyzed in terms of the Makishima-Mackenzie model. The results showed that the computed elastic moduli and the dimensionality of the borate glasses containing La2O3 or Gd2O3 are strongly dependent on the concentration of the structural units of the constituent oxides and types of bonds between these units.