Structural and Physical Properties of Iron Oxychloride Phosphate Glasses

Abstract

Glasses in the system xFeCl3–10Fe2O3–(90–x)P2O5 have been prepared by the normal quenching method over a wide range of composition (x = 15 up to 50 mol%). The glass structure has been investigated using IR spectral analyses which shows that the intermediate range order is affected by substitution of FeCl3 for P2O5. Thermal expansion coefficient, glass transition temperature, density and dissolution rate in HCl were also investigated. The formation of P–O–Fe and P–Cl bonds at the expense of P = O bonds is responsible for the good chemical durability of the studied glasses. Changes in other properties are interpreted in terms of the depolymerization of the glassy matrix by FeCl3.