Properties of silver phosphate glass doped with nanosize zinc oxide

High valence cations when doped in phosphate glasses, modify the properties, basically due to changes in glass structural network, through formation of cross-linked bonds. In the present paper 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% nanosize ZnO were doped in Ag2O–P2O5 glass prepared by melt-quench method. Glass transition temperatures were determined by DSC technique, whereas structural investigations were carried out by FTIR spectroscopic technique. X-ray diffraction studies showed that all the prepared glasses are poorly crystalline. SEM studies were made to have an idea about morphological changes in the presence of nanosize ZnO. Electrical conductivities and dielectric constants were measured as a function of temperature and frequency. Cole–Cole plot indicated that grain boundary and relaxation processes affected the electrical properties. It was found that glass transition temperatures increased in the presence of ZnO and conductivities increased with frequency.