Preparation, structural and mechanical characterization of ceria-added phosphate glasses

Phosphate glasses composed of P2O5-Nb2O5-BaO-Na2O-CeO2 were successfully synthesized by melt-quenching method. The structural and mechanical characteristics of this glass system were thoroughly investigated. The niobium oxygen octahedra were formed in the glass matrix, and played as the glass former to build the glass network together with the phosphorus oxygen tetrahedra. The cerium acted as a glass modifier, but it had a densification effect on the structure of this glass system. For the glass with 1 mol% ceria, the densest structure was realized. Also with the same addition, the microscopic Vickers hardness, Knoop hardness, and flexural strength also reached the highest points of 481.8 MPa, 436.7 MPa, and 64.5 MPa, respectively. The values of fracture toughness were all above 1.09 MPa•m0.5. In general, this system of phosphate glass with 1 mol% ceria can be considered as a promising candidate for the development of various other optical, electrical, and mechanical devices.