Spectroscopic and thermal properties of Sm3+ doped iron lead bismuthate glasses.

The results of the structural, physical, thermal and electrical properties of the glass compositions <italic>x</italic>Fe₂O₃•(100−<italic>x</italic>)(3Bi₂O₃•PbO)• Sm₂O₃(1 mol%) where <italic>x</italic>=0, 1, 5, 10, 12, 15 mol% prepared via melt quench technique were studied. The synthesized compositions were characterized by X−ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The IR study reveals that present system is build up with lead in tetrahedral coordination and bismuth in trigonal as well as octahedral coordination. Density and molar volume have been calculated using Archimedes principle, and the variation in their values has been correlated with structural changes in the glass matrix based on the IR study. The variation in the characteristic temperatures (glass transition temperature <italic>T</italic>_{<italic>g</italic>}, crystallization temperature <italic>T</italic>_{<italic>p</italic>} and melting temperature <italic>T</italic>_{<italic>m</italic>}) with different heating rate and change in the composition of iron oxide were analyzed and reported in the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]