Physical, optical, thermal, structural and mechanical properties of alkaline earth borate glasses

Abstract

Binary alkaline earth borate glasses were synthesized via the melt quenching technique. The density and molar volume of the resultant glasses were determined experimentally. The glass optical basicity has been found to increase with the glass polarizability. The optical properties of the glasses were comprehensively analyzed, revealing a shift in the cutoff wavelength towards longer wavelengths with increasing glass optical basicity. Additionally, the optical band gap (Eg) was estimated. Structural investigations unveiled an increase in the abundance of BO4 units as the glass optical basicity increased. Furthermore, the glass transition temperature was observed to decrease with decreasing cation field strength. Glass packing density and B2O3 packing factor were calculated to assess structural variations. The longitudinal and shear velocities were determined using the pulse echo technique, providing insights into the elastic moduli of the glasses. The Makishima and Mackenzie approach was employed to predict the elastic moduli, yielding results in good agreement with experimental data. This comprehensive analysis sheds light on the relationship between composition, structure, and mechanical properties of binary alkaline earth borate glasses, offering valuable insights for potential applications.