Ion dynamics in mixed alkali glasses

Abstract

To study the ion dynamics in an amorphous mixed alkali system, frequency-dependent conductivities of 0.3[xLi2O·(1 − x)Na2O]·0.7B2O3 glasses have been measured by impedance spectroscopy in a wide temperature range. The conductivities show a transition from their dc values into a dispersive regime where they increase continuously with frequency, tending towards a linear frequency dependence at sufficiently low temperatures. In addition to the “classical” mixed alkali effect, i.e. the occurrence of a minimum in the dc conductivity, we also observe the following new mixed alkali effect. In contrast to conductivity spectra of single cation glasses which follow the time-temperature superposition principle, featuring a temperature-invariant shape, the shapes of the conductivity spectra of the mixed alkali glasses studied here are found to change with temperature. To explain the effect, we suggest differently activated mobilities of the two different ionic species. The spectra are discussed in the framework of the concept of mismatch and relaxation (CMR).