Revealing the Intriguing Physical, Structural and Optical Attributes of Zinc doped Multicomponent Bismuth Silicate Glasses

Multicomponent bismuth silicate glasses having composition xZnO. (5-x)V2O5.20Bi2O3.55SiO2.20Na2O with varying mole percentages (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%) has been synthesized using the conformist melt-quench method. X-ray diffractometry confirmed their amorphous nature. To determine material's band gap, Urbach energy and shedding light on its optical properties UV-Vis DRS has been used. This study systematically explores the effects of varying zinc oxide (ZnO) concentrations on the optical, structural, and physical properties of multicomponent bismuth silicate glasses. Addition of zinc oxide led to a consistent increase in glass density from 4.8170 to 5.6123 and a corresponding decrease in molar volume from 32.950 to 26.993.Oxygen packing density (OPD) exhibited an increase with higher zinc ionic concentrations, signifying a tighter and more compact glass structure. The electronegativity differences across the glass series ranged from 1.7230 to 1.7235, suggesting moderately polar covalent bonds with uneven electron distribution. Bond ionicity values ranging from 0.52392 to 0.52413, indicating a moderate to moderately high degree of ionic character in the chemical bonds. Optical transmission studies revealed the glass composition's effectiveness as a UV band reject filter while maintaining approximately 80% transparency in the visible region, making it suitable for applications like radiation protection shields and UV-protective coatings for window/sun glasses. Some others parameters including ionic concentration, inter-ionic radii etc. were calculated and analysed, showing correlations and providing valuable insights into structural aspects of glass network and the spatial arrangement and bonding involving zinc ions. IR spectra glasses have been analysed to determine structural units present in synthesised glass network. The analysis shows that the glasses have been mainly composed of [BiO6], [BiO3], and [SiO4] vibrations. These insights provide a foundation for tailoring glass compositions for specific technological applications, encompassing optics, radiation shielding, and protective coatings.