Structure and electrical conductivity of ɤ-irradiated lead–phosphate glass containing MoO3

Phosphate glasses doped with three different concentrations of MoO3 were prepared using quenching method. The effects of the added molybdenum ions on density, molar volume, specific volume, FTIR spectra and electrical conductivity were measured and discussed. It has been found that density decreased while molar volume and specific volume increased with the increase of Mo content. These data have been related to the lower molecular weight of Mo ions compared with the Pb ions which they replaced, and also to the increase of the free space. Electrical conductivity decreased with the low concentrations of Mo then followed by an increase of the highest content of Mo due to the assumption of combination of ionic conductivity from Na ions and electronic conductivity due to the presence of Mo ions in many valences (Mo3+,Mo4+, Mo5+, Mo6+). Also the effects of low and high γ radiation doses which caused minor changes on the FTIR spectra or electrical conductivity especially for glass containing 3% MoO3 were interpreted. The Eg was found in the range from 2.6 to 4.62 ev which is in the forbidden indirect transition.