Structure and IRR spectra of copper-exchanged soda-lime silica glass

• Published in: Journal of physics. Conference series Vol. 249; no. 1; p. 012048
• Main Authors: Suszynska, M, Maczka, M, Bukowska, E, Berg, K J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.11.2010
• Subjects: Composite materials; Copper; Copper chloride; Cupric ions; Exchanging; Heat treatment; Hydrogenation; Infrared reflection; Lime; Miscibility; Morphology; Nanoparticles; Physics; Silica glass; Silicates; Silicon dioxide; Sodium silicates; Spectrophotometry; Spectrum analysis
• ISSN: 1742-6596; 1742-6588; 1742-6596
• DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/249/1/012048

Multi-component soda lime silica glass (SLSG) specimens, with composition from the miscibility gap in the SiO2-Na2O system, were investigated after the substitution of copper for sodium and after thermal treatment of the exchanged samples in gaseous hydrogen. The behaviour of the obtained composite materials was studied by infrared reflection spectroscopy (IRRS). Some optical absorption micro-spectrophotometry (OAMS) measurements and X-ray-diffraction (XRD) analyses complemented these investigations. It has been stated that after exchange in the CuCl molten bath, the dopant was present in the glassy matrix in the form of cuprous and cupric ions. The cuprous ions participate in the formation of semiconducting Cu2O nanoparticles. Hydrogenation of the exchanged specimens leads to the formation of metallic copper atoms which due to the van der Waals interactions precipitate in the form of colloidal copper nanoparticles. Changes of the matrix morphology are mainly related with the presence of cupric ions which behave as glass forming cations and such as these participate in the formation of mixed copper-sodium silicates. The effectiveness of these processes is substantially dependent on the exchange and hydrogenation parameters.