The incorporation of silver nanoparticles in samarium doped magnesium tellurite glass: Effect on the characteristic of bonding and local structure

Abstract

Samarium doped magnesium tellurite glass with and without silver nanoparticles is prepared using melt quenching technique. All glasses are amorphous in nature. The existence of silver nanoparticles in a glass matrix with an average size of 16.94nm has been confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy. The UV–vis spectra are complemented with Judd–Ofelt calculation to get the Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters. It has also been used to calculate nephelauxetic ratio, bonding parameter and Racah parameters. It is found that Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters Ω2,Ω4 and Ω6 increase with an increase of Ag NPs contents up to 0.2mol% and decrease thereafter. Nephelauxetic ratio, β decreases with increasing the concentration of Ag NPs, while bonding parameter, δ increases as the concentration of Ag NPs increases. The value of Racah parameters decreases as the concentration of Ag NPs increases. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy have been manipulated to observe the structural modification of [TeO4] trigonal bipyramidal structural unit. In the FTIR spectrum, it is found that the structural unit of [TeO4] trigonal bipyramidal, [TeO3+1] polyhedral and/or [TeO3] trigonal pyramidal groups are located at 651–663cm−1 and 772cm−1, respectively. It is observed that the [TeO4] tbp wavenumber shifts to a higher wavenumber as the concentration of Ag NPs increases up to 0.2mol% and decreases thereafter. Meanwhile, for the Raman spectra, it is found that [TeO4] tbp, [TeO3+1] polyhedral and [TeO3] tp groups are located at 646–666cm−1, 714–741cm−1, and 745–772cm−1, respectively.