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Advanced Research on Structure, Properties, and Applications of Glass Materials
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Advanced Research on Structure, Properties, and Applications of Glass Materials

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 4993

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mioara Zagrai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre of Advanced Research and Technology for Alternative Energies (CETATEA), National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, INCDTIM, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: glasses; glass-ceramics; optoelectronics; photonics; radioactive waste management
Dr. Ramona-Crina Suciu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Physics of Nanostructured Systems, National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, INCDTIM, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: materials science and engineering; luminescent materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Exploring the composition–structure–property relationship of glass materials is an attractive area for both fundamental and applied research owing to their high applicative potential, including in environmental protection, optoelectronics, photonics, or nuclear physics. The structural flexibility of glass enables an extensive range of elements to be accommodated, dissolved, dispersed and stabilized, giving it unique properties and enhanced functional capabilities.

This Special Issue, entitled “Advanced Research on Structure, Properties, and Applications of Glass Materials”, aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in glass materials and the future challenges associated with these materials in engineering solutions.

This Special Issue calls for original research, short communications or review papers that focus on novel glass compositions and the processing, prediction, characteristics, behavioral evolution, application and potential of glass materials.

Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Heavy metal oxide glasses;
  • Glass as nuclear waste forms;
  • Glass containing actinide surrogates;
  • Glass as rare-earth host material;
  • Glasses containing transition metal ions;
  • Luminescent glass materials;
  • Glasses for solar energy conversion;
  • Radiation-shielding glasses;
  • Surface plasmon resonance effect of nanoparticles in glass;
  • Glass innovations.

Dr. Mioara Zagrai
Dr. Ramona-Crina Suciu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • glass
  • glass forming ability
  • devitrification
  • structure characteristics
  • nuclear waste management
  • simulated high-level liquid wastes
  • gamma-ray shielding
  • electronic structure
  • luminescence performance
  • up-/down-conversion

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2920 KiB  
Article
Crystallization of Ag Nanoparticles in Borate–Bismuth Glass and Its Influence on Eu3+ Luminescence
by Karolina Milewska, Michał Maciejewski, Marcin Łapiński, Anna Synak, Magdalena Narajczyk, Anna Bafia, Wojciech Sadowski and Barbara Kościelska
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 4495; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15084495 - 18 Apr 2025
Viewed by 206
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of Ag nanoparticle crystallization in B2O3–Bi2O3 glass using a heat treatment method and to investigate the possible influence of the obtained nanoparticles on the emission intensity [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of Ag nanoparticle crystallization in B2O3–Bi2O3 glass using a heat treatment method and to investigate the possible influence of the obtained nanoparticles on the emission intensity of Eu3+ ions. Borate–bismuth glasses with different B2O3:Bi2O3 molar ratios of 50:50, 60:40 and 70:50 with Ag and Eu3+ ions were successfully synthesized. The structure of the glasses was studied using XRD and FTIR methods. The XRD results exhibited a characteristic amorphous halo, confirming the absence of long-range order in the samples. The glass transition temperatures of various compositions, required to select the annealing temperature, were measured using DTA analysis. The strong maximum in the UV–Vis spectrum of the sample with the highest Bi2O3 content clearly indicated the presence of Ag nanoparticles in the glass. Moreover, a color change was observed for this sample, from slightly yellow to red. The presence of Ag nanoparticles was further confirmed via TEM and XPS studies. However, with a high content of Ag nanoparticles in the matrix, their positive effect on luminescence intensity was not observed. The obtained results show that B2O3–Bi2O3 glass and glass ceramics, with Ag nanoparticles and rare-earth (Re) ions, could be considered as a new phosphor for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Structure, Properties, and Applications of Glass Materials)
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19 pages, 6812 KiB  
Article
Evolution of the Radiation Shielding, Optical, and Luminescence Properties of PbO2-SiO2 Glass Systems and the Influence of Rare Earth Elements (Eu, Ce, Yb)
by Mioara Zagrai, Ramona-Crina Suciu, Radu Cristian Gavrea and Vasile Rednic
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 864; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15020864 - 16 Jan 2025
Viewed by 947
Abstract
This study explores the physical, radiation shielding, optical, and photoluminescent properties of PbO2-SiO2-based glass systems. Traditional radiation shielding materials, like lead and concrete, face challenges due to toxicity and weight. Glass materials provide an alternative, offering transparency and efficiency. [...] Read more.
This study explores the physical, radiation shielding, optical, and photoluminescent properties of PbO2-SiO2-based glass systems. Traditional radiation shielding materials, like lead and concrete, face challenges due to toxicity and weight. Glass materials provide an alternative, offering transparency and efficiency. Four glass systems were analyzed: PbO2-SiO2 (PS), PbO2-SiO2-CeO2 (PSC), PbO2-SiO2-Eu2O3 (PSE), and PbO2-SiO2-Yb2O3 (PSY). The results show that rare earth elements densify the glass network, thereby enhancing radiation attenuation properties, quantified through parameters like the linear attenuation coefficient (μ), the half-value layer (HVL), and the mean free path (MFP). The PSY system exhibited the best shielding properties, demonstrating its potential for use in gamma ray shielding. Samples PS0–PS3 revealed semiconducting behavior and may be considered a promising host matrix for solar cells and w-LED applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Structure, Properties, and Applications of Glass Materials)
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11 pages, 511 KiB  
Article
Exploring Structural Changes in Ge-Te Amorphous Films Through Small-Angle Neutron Scattering
by Andrea A. Piarristeguy, Raphaël Escalier, Annie Pradel, Viviana Cristiglio and Gabriel J. Cuello
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(24), 11713; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142411713 - 16 Dec 2024
Viewed by 701
Abstract
The structure of the glassy GexTe1−x system, with x = 0.17, 0.21, 0.28, 0.30, and 0.45, is studied using the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) technique. The very-low-momentum-transfer region of the diffractogram exhibits distinct behaviour depending on the germanium content. [...] Read more.
The structure of the glassy GexTe1−x system, with x = 0.17, 0.21, 0.28, 0.30, and 0.45, is studied using the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) technique. The very-low-momentum-transfer region of the diffractogram exhibits distinct behaviour depending on the germanium content. A similar conclusion is drawn from the analysis of the first diffraction peaks observed at higher angles. This system exhibits three composition regions with distinct behaviours: a first zone of low Ge content (up to about 20–25 at.%), a third zone richer in Ge (from about 30 at.% and above), and a second transitional zone between them. These changes are reflected in the parameters that govern Porod’s region, as well as in the region where the first diffraction peaks appear, corroborating previous observations made using other experimental and simulation techniques. Our study provides experimental evidence that could open up new possibilities for conducting simulations using neutron data. The results presented here show that increasing Ge content leads to a strengthening of the intermediate-range order at the expense of a weakening of the short-range order. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Structure, Properties, and Applications of Glass Materials)
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21 pages, 12910 KiB  
Article
Crystallization Kinetics of an Equimolar Liquid Crystalline Mixture and Its Components
by Aleksandra Deptuch, Anna Paliga, Anna Drzewicz, Marcin Piwowarczyk, Magdalena Urbańska and Ewa Juszyńska-Gałązka
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(24), 11701; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142411701 - 15 Dec 2024
Viewed by 881
Abstract
This new equimolar mixture comprises the liquid crystalline compounds MHPOBC and partially fluorinated 3F2HPhF6. The phase sequence of the mixture was determined by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The enantiotropic smectic A*, C*, and CA [...] Read more.
This new equimolar mixture comprises the liquid crystalline compounds MHPOBC and partially fluorinated 3F2HPhF6. The phase sequence of the mixture was determined by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The enantiotropic smectic A*, C*, and CA* phases were observed for the mixture. Only partial crystallization of the mixture was observed during cooling at 2–40 K/min, and the remaining smectic CA* phase underwent vitrification. In contrast, the crystallization of the pure components was complete or almost complete for the same range of cooling rates. The kinetics of the non-isothermal and isothermal crystallization of the mixture and its pure components were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The non-isothermal data were analyzed by the isoconversional method, while the isothermal data were analyzed using the Avrami model. As is typical, the nucleation-controlled crystallization kinetics were observed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Structure, Properties, and Applications of Glass Materials)
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13 pages, 3857 KiB  
Article
Self-Diffusion in Sr-Containing Iron-Polyphosphate Glasses by Molecular Dynamics Simulations
by Pawel Stoch
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(13), 5827; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135827 - 3 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1273
Abstract
Among the many possible applications of iron phosphate glasses, one of them is that they are promising materials in waste vitrification, particularly for radioactive waste. In vitrified form, waste elements should be permanently immobilized in a glass network as they are susceptible to [...] Read more.
Among the many possible applications of iron phosphate glasses, one of them is that they are promising materials in waste vitrification, particularly for radioactive waste. In vitrified form, waste elements should be permanently immobilized in a glass network as they are susceptible to harsh environmental conditions. The self-diffusion of the vitrified material species may limit the potential usefulness of the glasses. This paper presents the possibility of using molecular dynamics simulations to study this process and the substitution of SrO into an iron phosphate glass network. It was evidenced that the self-diffusion mechanism differed significantly depending on whether the glass was in a solid or liquid state. The proposed method also offered a relatively easy prediction of glass characteristic temperatures, such as transformation and flow. We also observed, and here describe, an aggregation process of the glass elements that may drive their crystallization. The obtained results are discussed in light of the experimental and theoretical structural feature literature data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Structure, Properties, and Applications of Glass Materials)
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