Kinetics and fabrication nanocrystallization of optical tellurophosphate glasses in system as: TeO2·P2O5·ZnO·LiNbO3

Tellurophosphate glasses with compositions (76 − x)TeO2·9P2O5·15ZnO·xLiNbO3 (where x = 12.5, 25, 30 and 35 mol%) were prepared by the melting technique. Nanocrystallization and crystallization kinetics of the prepared glasses were investigated using DTA, XRD, HRTEM and SEM techniques. It is found that, the glass 51TeO2·9P2O5·15ZnO·25LiNbO3 has high extremely thermal stability (ΔT = 189 °C at heating rate 15 K min−1). The mean value of the activation energy (〈Eg〉)(〈Eg〉) for structural relaxation increases from 165 to 203 ± 2 kJ⋅mol−1. The activation energy for crystallization was found to be increased from 150.5 to 298.5 ± 2 kJ⋅mol−1 with the increase of LiNbO3 content. Values of Avarmi exponent were between 1.21 and 2.71 for the prepared glasses. Moreover, synthesized transparent glasses containing LiNbO3 nanoparticles have 16–46 nm diameter were investigated by using XRD and HRTEM.

► Present glasses have high extremely thermal stability ΔT = 189 °C.
► Quasispherical LiNbO3 particles homogeneously dispersed in the matrix.
► Several rods exist in nano dimensions with average crystallite size about 45 nm.