Elastic properties of phosphotungstate glasses

Abstract

Elastic properties of potassium and lead phosphotungstate glasses have been investigated using ultrasonic velocity measurements. The composition dependence of elastic moduli in WO₃-K₂O-P₂O₅ glasses suggests that at low alkali oxide concentrations the atomic ring size increases by network modification, which results in the decrease of elastic moduli. In the highly modified regime, due to the presence of coulombic interaction, the rate of decrease of elastic moduli is reduced. In the WO₃-PbO-P₂O₅ glasses the behaviour of elastic moduli suggests that PbO behaves both as a network former and network modifier. The incorporation of PbO into the network is quantitatively determined by the concentration of P₂O₅ in the system. The results are consistent with the structural model proposed earlier, based on characterization studies.