On the mechanical properties of lead borate glass

• Young's modulus was measured for lead borate glasses.
• Detailed structural data were used as input to the Makishima–Mackenzie model.
• Greatly improved predictions of the elasticity were obtained.
• The structure and elasticity were correlated with creep behavior.

The mechanical properties of lead borate glasses were investigated using ultrasonic wave velocity measurement and nanoindentation. Creep tests at room temperature were performed by holding the indenter at peak load for extended time. Both Young's modulus and nanohardness decreased with increasing PbO molar fraction from 0.35 to 0.75. Creep decreased by increasing PbO from 0.35 to 0.50 mole fraction, and remained relatively unchanged at greater lead concentrations. The variation of Young's modulus with composition was attributed primarily to that of boron coordination number, whereas the variation of creep was attributed to the evolution of lead from glass modifier to former with the increase of lead concentration. Furthermore, the Young's moduli of glasses were predicted using Makishima–Mackenzie model. By considering the effect of cations' coordination numbers on the properties of oxides, marked improvement in the predictions of Young's modulus were made over previous such estimations.