Influence of CuO and ZnO addition on the multicomponent phosphate glasses: Spectroscopic studies

•Glasses from the P2O5–SiO2–K2O–CaO–MgO–CuO(ZnO) systems were analysed.•A copper ions cause gradual polymerization of the phosphor-oxygen subnetwork.•A zinc ions cause depolymerization of the phosphor-oxygen subnetwork.•Spectroscopic methods showed polymerization effect on the silico-oxygen subnetwork.•A change of the role of zinc ions in the vitreous matrix was confirmed.

The spectra of phosphate-silicate glasses from the P2O5–SiO2–K2O–MgO–CaO system modified with the addition of CuO or ZnO have been studied by means of FTIR, Raman and 31P MAS NMR spectroscopy. All glasses were synthesized by the conventional melt-quenching technique and their homogeneous chemical composition was controlled and confirmed. By using the aforementioned research techniques, the presence of structural units with various degrees of polymerization was shown in the structure of analyzed phosphate-silicate glasses: Q3, Q2, Q1 and Q0. It was found that an increase in the content of CuO or ZnO in the composition of analyzed glasses, which are introduced at the expense of decreasing amounts of CaO and MgO, has a different influence on the phospho-oxygen network. It was shown that copper ions cause its gradual polymerization, while zinc ions cause its depolymerization. At the same time, polymerization of the silico-oxygen subnetwork was found. Additionally, in the case of glasses containing increasing amounts of ZnO, a change of the role of zinc ions in the vitreous matrix was confirmed (from the modifier to a structure-forming component).

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