For lead-free low-melting sealing materials, the boron oxide alkali molybdate glass system was investigated with different boron oxide contents between 0 and 8 mol %. The glasses were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry, and infrared spectroscopy, and by their dissolution rates and densities. As the boron oxide contents increase, the glasses maintain their low temperature properties (T g under 175°C), and new network formers of [BO 3 ] triangular units and [BO 4 ] tetrahedral units appear. The glasses possess MoO 4 , MoO 6 , BO 3 and BO 4 groups as basic structural units, and existing weak MoOMo bridge bonds convert into strong MoOB bridge bonds. As a result, chemical durability is improved.©2017 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.Key-words : Lead-free low-melting sealing glass, Molybdenum, Boron oxide, Structure [Received April 26, 2017; Accepted September 8, 2017] Sealing glass has applications in vacuum engineering and in electronics. In the development of optical elements and electronic devices, advanced sealing materials are needed, which do not damage the substrates as a result of their sealing temperatures.
1)4)This has led to specialized research on sealing glasses. Lowtemperature sealing glasses typically involve lead-based glass, but lead presents problems for human health and the environment.2),3) The properties required in sealing glasses are a low transition temperature (T g ), a low softening temperature (T s ), chemical durability, and low cost.2) Molybdate glass systems satisfy these properties, especially the low temperature properties.Molybdates have a high coordination number, favoring crystallization during cooling, and rapid quenching can be used to promote glass formation; However, this is not the only process available, as molybdates are conditioning formers. 5),6) Molybdate glasses also have characteristics that make them candidates for practical applications such as amorphous semiconductors and solid electrolytes. 7) By adding alkali oxides, molybdate glasses with ultra-low thermal properties are obtained, as shown in, for example, In the study by Vaghese, There is, however, a practical limit on sealing applications because of their poor chemical durability. 8) We reproduced Varghese's experiments and produced alkali molybdate glass, finding that its surface reacts with atmospheric water vapor. For practical applications, it will be necessary to improve chemical durability of the molybdate glasses, especially their water solubility.Glass samples with composition of xB 2 O 3 (100 ¹ x)(10Li 2 O 10Na 2 O20K 2 O60MoO 3 ) (x = 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mol %) (the abbreviation xBMG designates x mol %B 2 O 3 molybdate glass) were prepared using B 2 O 3 , Li 2 CO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 and MoO 3 obtained from the Junsei Chemical Co. (Japan). Each sample batch was mixed and ground repeatedly for homogenization. The batches were melted at 1200°C in an alumina crucible under normal atmospheric conditions for no more than 10 min to minimize volatilization of the glass...