Microwave and conventional preparation of Zinc borate glass: Eu3+ ion as luminescent probe

Transparent Zinc borate glass is melted using microwave energy as an alternative heating route to conventional resistive heating. A comparative study of the properties of the glasses prepared by both the methods is conducted by adopting X-ray diffraction (XRD), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Refractive Indices (RI). Amorphous nature of samples is confirmed by X-ray diffraction study. Glass transition temperature (Tg) of microwave melted glass is found ∼7-9 °C higher than that of glass prepared in conventional melting. OH content is found less than 250 ppm in microwave melted glass whereas it is above 330 ppm in conventional melted glasses. Photoluminescence study of Eu2O3 doped glass prepared in microwave heating indicates higher reduction of Eu3+ → Eu2+ than the glass melted in conventional route. Thus, microwave processing can be an alternative energy efficient, time saving, environmental friendly glass preparation method.