The structural analysis of zinc borate glass by laboratory EXAFS and X-ray diffraction measurements

The structure of zinc borate glass has been investigated by laboratory EXAFS and X-ray diffraction measurement as preliminary investigations for the detailed study in SPring-8. The zinc borate glass was prepared in the range from 40 to 65 mol% of zinc oxide content. The X-ray diffraction was measured by horizontal theta-theta goniometer with 60 kV and 300 mA output of Mo target. The EXAFS of zinc borate glass was measured by laboratory EXAFS system with 20 kV, 100 mA output of Mo target for the K absorption edge of zinc atom. From the X-ray diffraction and the EXAFS measurements, it is found that the zinc ion is surrounded by four oxygen atoms and formed a tetrahedral structure whose Zn-O distance is about 2 Angstrom and that the structure is unchanged with the zinc oxide content. The diffraction data show that the neighboring structure of boron atom transforms from BO4 tetrahedra to BO3 tetragonal planar structure with increasing of the zinc oxide content.