Development of pink glass using low melting temperatures

Abstract

The objective of this research is to prepare colored glass using low melting temperature as well as to study the physical and optical properties such as density, molar volume, refractive index and absorbance of the prepared glass samples. The glass was prepared according to the ratio of 60P2O5 : 15B2O3 : 15CaO : 10SrO and melted at 600 °C for 3 hours, then poured the glass into the mold. The glass was then poured into a mold and anneal in an electric furnace at 300 °C for 3 hr. Density, refractive index and optical absorption of the prepared glass samples were analyzed. The colored glass was then prepared by adding Er2O3 coloring agent with concentrations ranging from 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 􀃸􀅡􀄂􀃷􀃺􀄅􀄓􀃩􀃷􀄓􀃶􀃺 to replace the amount of P2O5. It was found that the glass samples without Er2O3 added yielded clear, colorless glass. After adding Er2O3, the glass was light pink and the color became darker pink as the concentration of Er2O3 increased. The density and refractive index tended to increase as the concentration of Er2O3 increased. On the other hand, the molar volume tends to decrease as the concentration of Er2O3 increases. From the absorbance analysis in the wavelength range 300 – 1,100 nm, 9 peaks of total absorbance were found, namely 380, 407, 425, 450, 490, 520, 650, 800 and 970 nm. Conforms to the color values in the CIE L*a*b* system.