Fabrication, physical, FTIR, ultrasonic waves, and mechanical properties of quaternary B2O3–Bi2O3–NaF–ZrO2 glasses: Experimental study.

An experimental study for fabrication, physical, FTIR spectroscopy, ultrasonic waves, and mechanical properties of quaternary B₂O₃–Bi₂O₃–NaF–ZrO₂ glasses was introduced. The fabricated glasses have the chemical formula 65B₂O₃–25NaF–(10-x)Bi₂O₃–xZrO₂; x = 0 (Zr0), 2 (Zr2), 4 (Zr4), 5 (Zr5), and 6 (Zr6) mol% and produced via the melt quenching process. The longitudinal V_L and shear V_S velocities were measured using ultrasonic flaw detector. FTIR spectra were recorded in the wavenumber range 400–1550 cm⁻¹. The density of the fabricated glasses reduces linearly from 3400 ± 6 (kg/m³) for Zr0 sample with free ZrO₂ to 3099 ± 4 (kg/m³) for Zr6 sample with highest content of ZrO₂. The oxygen packing density (OPD) rises from 74,742 to 82,980 kg atom/m³ when increasing content of ZrO₂ from 0 to 6 mol%, respectively. The number of N3 was increased which the number of N4 decreased with ZrO₂ concentration which confirms that the decreasing formation of BO₄ units with ZrO₂ content. Both V_L and V_S are persistently increasing for all range of the studied samples; such a behavior is ascribed to increments in number of strong Ø’s units. The insertion of ZrO₂ in glasses network leads to improve their elastic moduli. Higher values of Debye temperature (θ_D) are found with increasing ZrO₂ content that means higher thermal energy needed for excitation the corresponding vibrational mode. Makishima–Mackenzie values of Young (Y_M) and bulk (B_M) moduli were in good agreement with the experimental results. Therefore, the increasing trends of Y_M and B_M are similar to those of Young (Y) and bulk (B) moduli assuring the effect of [ZrO₆]²⁻ on introducing strengthened bonds into borate lattice. In addition, the microhardness (H_v) was found to increase with ZrO₂ content; therefore, the glass system gets harder and stiffer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]