Influence of Ni2+ ions on the physical, structural, elastic, optical, and thermal aspects of oxy fluoro borate glasses mixed with sesquioxide ions (Al3+/Y3+/Sb3+)

Oxy Fluoro Borate (OFB) Glasses mixed with Sesquioxide ions (Al³⁺/Y³⁺/Sb³⁺) were synthesized using the traditional melt quenching technique. The properties of the structure of the glasses prepared are investigated by SEM, EDS and XRD methods. Variations in properties like density in glasses allow Nickel/Aluminium/Antimony/Yttrium ions to go through the borate glass matrix with an increase in respective dopant mole fraction. The decrease in the values of different elastic constants with B-O-Ni/Al/Sb/Y bonds and alsoby the function of NiO/Al₂O₃/Sb₂O₃/Y₂O₃ as a modifier and converting a portion of BO₃ tetrahedral units into BO₄octahedral units indicates the depolymerization in the glass matrix. The I.R. spectra and FTIR spectra show an increment in the occupation of cations Ni²⁺, Y³⁺, Sb³⁺ and Al³⁺ ions in the octahedral positions of the glass matrix with an enhancement in their molefraction. Creation of NBOs owing to the transformation of BO₃ to BO₄ units is greater in Al³⁺ and the smallest in Y³⁺ with an increment in the sesquioxide concentration at a 1.00 mol% NiO concentration. The dominance of the nickel ions octahedral occupancy in the glasses prepared is revealed by the optical absorption spectra, which may be because of the ligand fields produced by various ions of sesquioxides present within the glass matrix creating NBO and many trapped electrons at the donor centers. Photoluminescence spectra of the prepared glasses show the octahedral occupation of the Ni²⁺ ions that is indicated by the transitions ³A_2g(F) ↔ ³T_1g(P) and ³T_1g(P) → ³T_2g(F). The synthesized glasses exhibit effective luminescence by Nickel ions, and the AlNi and NiAl glass series exhibit superior luminescence properties owing to their highest emission cross-sections compared with the other series of prepared glasses.