Influence of ZrO2 additions on the structural and optical properties of Na-B-Te Glass for Optoelectronic Applications

This study is to estimate the effect of the replacement of TeO2 by ZrO2 on the sodium borotellurite glass. Five samples have been prepared according the chemical formula; 30 mol % Na2CO3- 50 mol % B2O3- (20-x) mol% TeO2- x% ZrO2 where x =0, 2, 4, 6, and 8mol% . The batches were melted using an electric muffle furnace at a temperature of 1200ºC for one hr. Each melt was poured on a brass plate at RT and another brass plate was put on the sample melt to obtain thin plate glass sample. Archimedes principal was used to determine the density of each glass sample. The molar volume of each glass sample was calculated. The results of experimental density and the calculated molar volume showed that the samples density decreased, while the molar volume increased with increasing ZrO2 content. The five glass samples were measured by XRD to confirm their amorphous structure. The FTIR spectra of the studied glass samples were obtained at RT in the range from 4000 to 400 cm-1. The FTIR spectra showed that as Zr ions were increased the BO3 changed to BO4 then the BO4 and the nonbridging oxygen increased. The transmission spectra using UV, Vis. Spectra in the range of 190-1100 nm were measured, then optical parameters could be obtained. The optical measurements results that obtained from UV and visible region and the optical properties that calculated using different equations demonstrated the ability of using these samples for different optoelectronic and energy storage applications.