Impact of Yb3+/Er3+ ions on crystallization of phosphosilicate glass melts

Transparent glass ceramics were prepared from the phosphosilicate system by melt-quenching devitrification (MQD) method, i.e., nanocrystals spontaneously form during cooling of the melts. Introduction of 2.5 wt.% Yb2O3 and 0.5 wt.% Er2O3 into the glass melt induced the change of type and concentration of crystals. The comparison of rheological and thermodynamic properties of both undoped and Yb3+/Er3+ doped melts showed that addition of Yb3+/Er3+ oxides caused increase of liquid fragility, and degree of medium-range order. In addition, the thermodynamic barriers for nucleation ΔG* as a function of reduced temperature T/Tm were calculated with an assumption of wetting angle θ=90°, Yb3+/Er3+ doped melt tended to firstly nucleate as compared to undoped melt at small undercooling.

Graphical AbstractTransmittance curves and optical images of undoped and Yb3+/Er3+ doped bulk samples, which were obtained by casting glass melts onto a cold stainless steel mold (the sample thickness is 2 mm for both samples)Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide