Structural organization and thermal properties of the Sb2O3-SbPO4 glass system

The structural organization of Sb2O3-SbPO4 glasses has been studied by FTIR, Raman, P-31 MAS and spin echo NMR, Mossbauer and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS and XANES at K and L-3,L-1-Sb edges). The combined results can be explained in terms of two potential mechanisms describing the change of the Sb(m) local environment upon incorporation of Q((4))-type phosphate. The formation of the latter species requires anionic compensation that may be adjusted by (a) formation of non bridging oxygen or (b) formation of SbO4E- groups (E = non-bonding electron pair). The second model is favored.

Energy upconversion luminescence in neodymium-doped tellurite glass

Infrared-to-visible upconversion luminescence emission in Nd3+-doped 60TeO(2)-10GeO(2)-10K(2)O-10Li(2)O-10Nb(2)O(5) tellurite glasses under cw excitation around 800 nm is investigated. Blue (430, and 475 nm), green (5 0 nm) and yellow-orange (590 nm) energy upconversion emission owing to the P-2(1/2) --> I-4(j) (j=9/2, 11/2, 13/2 and 15/2) transitions of the Nd3+ ions, respectively, was recorded. The dependence of the upconversion intensity upon the excitation wavelength and pump power is also studied. The upconversion excitation mechanism responsible for the observed emission signals is attributed to stepwise multiphoton absorption. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of the most suitable new glass laser to incorporate ytterbium: alkali niobium tellurite, lead fluorborate or heavy metal oxide

Diode-pumped Yb-doped glass lasers have received considerable attention for applications such as high-power beam production or femtosecond pulses generation. In this paper, we evaluate the laser potential of three different glass families doped with Yb3+ : alkali lead fluorborate (PbO-PbF2-B2O3), heavy metal oxide (Bi2O3-PbO-Ga2O3) and niobium tellurite (TeO2-Nb2O5-K2O-Li2O). Spectroscopic properties were studied for the samples and calculations of the minimum laser pump intensity (I-min), saturation fluence (U-sat) and the theoretical limit of peak power (P-max) are also presented. A comparison of laser properties of these three different glasses and their importance is shown and analyzed. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the topography of a Bragg grating in chalcogenide glass

Relief Bragg gratings were recorded on the surface of Ga-Ge-S glass samples by interference of two UV laser beams at 351 nm, Scanning force microscopy was used to perform a 3D image analysis of the resulting surface topography, which shows the superposition of an imprinted grating over the base topography of the glass. An important question regarding the efficiency of the grating is to determine to what extent the base topography reduces the intended coherent scattering of the grating because of its stochastic character. To answer this question we separated both base and grating structures by Fourier filtering, examined both spatial frequency and roughness, and determined the correlation. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Upconversion luminescence and thermal effects in terbium-ytterbium codoped fluorogermanate glass-ceramic

Cooperative energy transfer upconversion luminescence is investigated in Tb(3+)/Yb(3+)-codoped PbGeO(3)-PbF(2)-CdF(2) glass-ceramic and its precursor glass under resonant and off resonance infrared excitation. Bright UV-visible emission signals around 384, 415, 438 nm, and 473-490, 545, 587, and 623 nm are identified as due to the (5)D(3)((5)G(6))->(7)F(1) (J=6,5,4) and (5)D(4)->(7)F(1) (J=6,5,4,3) transitions, respectively, and readily observed. The results indicate that cooperative energy transfer between ytterbium and terbium. ions followed by excited state absorption are the dominant upconversion excitation mechanisms involved. Comparison of the upconversion process in a glass-ceramic sample and its glassy precursor revealed that the former present much higher upconversion efficiency. The dependence of the upconversion emission upon pump power, temperature, and doping content is also examined.

Upconversion luminescence in Ho3+/Yb3+- and Tb3+/Yb3+-codoped fluorogermanate glass and glass ceramic

Energy-transfer excited upconversion luminescence in Ho3+/Yb3+- and Tb3+/Yb3+ -codoped PbGeO3-PbF2-CdF2 glass and glass-ceramic under infrared excitation is investigated. In Ho3+/Yb3+-codoped samples, green (545 nm), red (652 nm), and near-infrared (754 nm) upconversion emission corresponding to the S-5(2) (F-5(4)) -> I-5(8), F-5(5) -> I-5(8), and S-5(2)(F-5(4)) -> I-5(7) transitions, respectively, was observed. Blue (490 nm) emission assigned to the F-5(2,3) -> I-5(8) transition was also detected. In the Tb3+/Yb3+-codoped system, bright UV-visible emission around 384, 415, 438, 473-490, 545, 587, and 623 nm, identified as due to the D-5(3)((5)G(6)) -> F-7(J)(J = 6, 5, 4) and D-5(4) -> F-7(J)(J = 6, 5, 4, 3) transitions, was measured. The comparison of the upconversion process in glass ceramic and its glassy precursor revealed that the former samples present much higher upconversion efficiencies. The dependence of the upconversion emission upon pump power, and doping contents was also examined. The results indicated that successive energy-transfer between ytterbium and holmium ions and cooperative energy-transfer between ytterbium and terbium ions followed by excited-state absorption are the dominant upconversion excitation mechanisms herein involved. The viability of using the samples for three-dimensional solid-state color displays is also discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methods to estimate the number of surface nucleation sites on glass particles

Based on the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) theory, we propose two new models to describe the crystallisation kinetics of glass particles and use them to determine the density of nucleation sites, N(s), on glass powders. We tested these models with sintered compacts of diopside glass particles using sinter-crystallisation treatments at 825 degrees C (T(g)similar to 727 degrees C), that covered from null to almost 100% crystallised volume time fraction. We measured and compared the evolution of the crystallised volume fractions by optical microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Then we fit our expressions to experimental data using Ns and R (the average particle radius) as adjustable parameters. For comparison, we also fit to our data existing expressions that describe the crystallised volume fraction in glass powders. We demonstrate that all the methods allow one to estimate N(s) with reasonable accuracy. For our ground and water washed diopside glass powder, N(s) is between 10(10)-10(11) sites.m(-2). The reasonable agreement between experimental and adjusted R confirms the consistency of all five models tested. However, one of our equations does not require taking into account the change of crystallisation mode from 3-dimensional to 1-dimensional, and this is advantageous.

Mechanical strength and subcritical crack growth under wet cyclic loading of glass-infiltrated dental ceramics

Objectives. Evaluate the flexural strength (sigma) and subcritical crack growth (SCG) under cyclic loading of glass-infiltrated alumina-based (IA, In-Ceram Alumina) and zirconia-reinforced (IZ, In-Ceram Zirconia) ceramics, testing the hypothesis that wet environment influences the SCG of both ceramics when submitted to cyclic loading.Methods. Bar-shaped specimens of IA (n = 45) and IZ ( n = 45) were fabricated and loaded in three-point bending (3P) in 37 degrees C artificial saliva (IA(3P) and IZ(3P)) and cyclic fatigued (F) in dry (D) and wet (W) conditions (IA(FD), IA(FW), IZ(FD), IZ(FW)). The initial sigma and the number of cycles to fracture were obtained from 3P and F tests, respectively. Data was examined using Weibull statistics. The SCG behavior was described in terms of crack velocity as a function of maximum stress intensity factor (K(Imax)).Results. The Weibull moduli (m = 8) were similar for both ceramics. The characteristic strength (sigma(0)) of IA and IZ was and 466 MPa 550 MPa, respectively. The wet environment significantly increased the SCG of IZ, whereas a less evident effect was observed for IA. In general, both ceramics were prone to SCG, with crack propagation occurring at K(I) as low as 43-48% of their critical K(I). The highest sigma of IZ should lead to longer lifetimes for similar loading conditions.Significance. Water combined with cyclic loading causes pronounced SCG in IZ and IA materials. The lifetime of dental restorations based on these ceramics is expected to increase by reducing their direct exposure to wet conditions and/or by using high content zirconia ceramics with higher strength. (C) 2010 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanomechanical properties of glass-ceramic films obtained by pressure impregnation of oxide powders on commercial float glass surfaces

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)