Synthesis of Glass-Ceramics in Mixed Fluorozirconate–Phosphate Systems

Abstract

Fluorozirconate-phosphate glasses of the ZrF₄–BaF₂–NaPO₃(LiPO₃) and ZrF₄–BaF₂–LaF₃–AlF₃–LiPO₃ systems doped with EuF₃, ErF₃, and NdF₃ were studied by the differential-thermal (DTA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, luminescence spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) methods. Addition of the phosphate component up to 20 mol % decreases the glass transition temperature and increases the glass stability to crystallization. Heat treatment in the range >T_g–T_c1 of glass transition and first maxima of crystallization temperatures causes crystallization of nanosized β-BaZrF₆ particles. At LiPO₃ (NaPO₃) concentrations of more than 80 mol %, glasses containing a crystalline phase are formed during the synthesis process.