Synthesis, electrical conduction and structure–property correlation in (50 − x) Ag2O–50P2O5–xCoCl2 glassy systems

Abstract Silver–cobalt–phosphate glasses of (50 −  x ) Ag 2 O–50P 2 O 5 – x CoCl 2 composition with x varying between 0 and 15 mol% were prepared by a melt quenching technique. These glasses were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetric techniques. Their thermal (T g , and T c ) and electrical properties (ionic transference number and electrical conductivity) have been investigated. Infrared spectral studies indicate the formation of P–O–Co bonds in these glasses that replace P O −… Ag + bonds. The results of thermal studies are in accordance with the FT–IR findings and support the formation of P–O–Co bonds. The T g and T c values were found to increase with increasing amount of CoCl 2 indicating increased cross-link density and enhanced chemical durability of the synthesized glasses. Transference number measurements show that these glasses are essentially ionic conductors. The electrical conductivity (σ) of silver–phosphate glasses doped with 5 mol% CoCl 2 is found to be the maximum. The σ values obtained for different compositions of the dopant CoCl 2 have been correlated with the structural changes in the silver–phosphate glass matrix.