Abstract
Tellurophosphate glasses with compositions (76 - x)TeO2 center dot 9P(2)O(5)center dot 15ZnO center dot xLiNbO(3) (where x = 12.5, 25, 30 and 35 mol%) were prepared by the melting technique. Nanocrystallization and crystallization kinetics of the prepared glasses were investigated using DTA, XRD, HRTEM and SEM techniques. It is found that, the glass 51TeO(2)center dot 9P(2)O(5)center dot 15ZnO center dot 25LiNbO(3) has high extremely thermal stability (Delta T = 189 degrees C at heating rate 15 K min(-1)). The mean value of the activation energy (< E-g >) for structural relaxation increases from 165 to 203 +/- 2 kJ.mol(-1). The activation energy for crystallization was found to be increased from 150.5 to 298.5 +/- 2 kJ.mol(-1) with the increase of LiNbO3 content. Values of Avarmi exponent were between 1.21 and 2.71 for the prepared glasses. Moreover, synthesized transparent glasses containing LiNbO3 nanoparticles have 16-46 nm diameter were investigated by using XRD and HRTEM. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.