Implications of silver nitrate doping on the physical, structural, and optical attributes of Na2O <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" altimg="si23.svg"> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> </mml:math> ZnO <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" altimg="si23.svg"> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> </mml:math> Borate glasses
S. N., DevarajaC, R.S. Gedam, B. Eraiah, Jagadeesha Gowda G. V., G. Harisha, Ashok Reddy G․V․
Abstract
• The melt-quenching technique method was used to produce the NZBA set of Glasses. • XRD pattern validated the glassy nature of the glass samples. • SEM images and EDX spectra revealed the distribution of silver particles and peaks for B, Zn, and Na which are compatible with the base glass composition. • The decreasing tendency of the metallization criterion values shows the NZBA glasses are less insulating. • The ionic nature is elucidated through electronegativity and electronic polarizability in correlation with the structural modification and optical band gap. Silver-doped sodium zinc borate glasses having the composition (70- x )B 2 O 3 +20ZnO+10Na 2 O + AgNO 3 (Where x = 0.0, 0.1 0.2, and 0.3 mol%) with AgNO 3 concentration variation were synthesized by conventional melt quenching method. The glassy trait of the synthesized samples was validated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The composition dependence of physical parameters viz density, molar volume, boron-boron distance, oxygen packing density, and field strength was computed and interpreted. The structural modifications and optical characterization of synthesized glasses were examined through Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy (RS), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), and UV-visible spectroscopy. FTIR and Raman spectra confirm that the structure consists of BO 3 and BO 4 units. SEM images and EDX spectra revealed the distribution of silver particles and peaks for B, Zn, and Na which are compatible with the base glass composition. The vital optical parameters, viz., optical band gap energy, refractive index, metallization criterion, electronic oxide polarizability, optical basicity, molar polarizability, and electronegativity values, were evaluated and interpreted for possible optical and electronic device applications. The evaluated direct and indirect band gap energies range from 4.028eV to 3.70eV and from 3.012eV to 2.763eV, respectively. Urbach energy values for silver-doped glasses range from 0.343eV to 0.597 eV. The refractive index values range from ∼ 2.198 to ∼ 2.270. The electronic oxide polarizability and optical basicity values range from 4.102Å 3 to 4.226Å 3 and 1.265 to 1.275, respectively. The metallization criterion and electronegativity values vary in the range of 0.410 to 0.391 and 1.932 to 1.949.