Nanoindentation study on viscoelasticity in cesium tungstophosphate glasses

The mechanical properties of the glasses xCsPO3–(1 − x)WO3 with x = 0.35 to 0.70 were studied by means of nanoindentation applying reloading and impulsive loading schemes. A hysteresis loop increasing with x has been registered at the reloading experiments on load–displacement curves. Contribution of plastic, elastic and viscoelastic components into the total deformation has been calculated from the impulsive loading experiments. The viscoelastic contribution increases with x and reaches the highest value of 39% for the glass with x = 0.7. Relations between the glass composition, structure and the mechanical properties are analysed.