Experimental and thermodynamic modelling studies on the structure of alkali borate melts and properties are discussed. A thermodynamic structure model for alkali borate melts is developed to describe the distribution of structural groups in the alkali borate melts as a function of composition. A qualitative interpretation for the boron anomaly in viscosity has been proposed, which regards the boron anomaly as a manifestation of the various antithetical effects caused by the introduction of alkali oxide into boric oxide. It has been found that the viscosity of alkali borate melts increases or decreases according to the changes in rigidity and spatial connectivity of the glass network structure, which is the function of temperature and composition. These concepts with some key examples are discussed in relation to their usefulness and practicality in industrial slags.
ZACHARIASENW. H.: ‘The atomic arrangement in glass’, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1932, 54, 3841–3851.
2.
WARRENB. E., KRUTTERH. and MORNINGSTARO.: ‘Fourier analysis of X-ray patterns of vitreous SiO2 and B2O3’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1936, 19, 202–206.
3.
BISCOEJ. and WARRENB. E.: ‘X-ray diffraction study of soda—boric oxide glass’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1938, 21, 287–293.
4.
BRAYP. J. and O'KEEFEJ. G.: ‘Nuclear magnetic resonance investigations of the structure of alkali borate glasses’, Phys. Chem. Glasses, 1963, 4, 37–46.
5.
BRAYP. J.: ‘NMR studies of borates’, (eds. PyeL. D., FrechetteV. D. and KreidlN. J.), Borate glasses: structure and properties, and applications (Materials Science Research, vol. 17), New York, Plenum, 1978, 321–351.
6.
KROGH-MOEJ.: ‘Structural interpretation of melting point depression in the sodium borate system’, Phys. Chem. Glasses, 1962, 3, 101–110.
7.
KROGH-MOEJ.: ‘Interpretation of the infrared spectra of boron oxide and alkali borate glasses’, Phys. Chem. Glasses, 1965, 6, 46–54.
8.
ARAUJOR. J.: ‘Statistical mechanics of chemical disorder: application to alkali borate glasses’, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 1983, 58, 201–208.
9.
ARAUJOR. J.: ‘Temperature dependence of boron coordin-ation in alkali borate glasses as an example of a second order transition’, Phys. Chem. Glasses, 1980, 21, 193–196.
10.
GREENR. L.: ‘X-ray diffraction and physical properties of potassium borate glasses’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1942, 25, 83–89.
11.
MIYAKAM., SUZUKIT., MORIKAWAH., TAKAGIY and MARUMOF.: ‘Structural analysis of molten B203. J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans., Part I, 1984, 80, 1925–1931.
12.
GASKELLP. H., PARKERJ. M. and DAVISE. A.: The structure of non-crystalline materials’, New York, Taylor & Francis, 1983, 1–343.
13.
HASSANA. K., TORELLL. M. and BORJESSONL.: ‘Structural changes of B203 through the liquid-glass transition range: a Raman-scattering study’, Phys. Rev. B, 1992, 45, 12797–12805.
14.
YOUNGMANR. E. and ZWANZIGERJ. W.: ‘Multiple boron sites in borate glass detected with dynamic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance’, J Non-Cryst. Solids, 1994, 168, 293–297.
15.
ITOHH., SASAHIRAA., MAEKAWAT. and YOKOKAWAT.: ‘Electromotive-force measurements of molten oxide mixtures’, J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans., 1984, 80, 473–487.
16.
ITOHM., SATOS. and YOKOKAWAT.: ‘E.M.F. measurements of molten mixtures of lithium oxide +, sodium oxide +, and potassium oxide + boron oxide’, J. Chem. Thermodynamics, 1976, 8, 339–352.
17.
SHAKHMATKINB. A. and VEDISHCHEVAN. M.: ‘Thermodynamic studies of oxide glass-forming liquids by the electromotive force method’, J. Non-Cryst Solids, 1994, 171, 1–30.
18.
REDDYR. G., YENJ. Y and ZHANGZ.: ‘Chemical properties of sodium borate coatings’, (eds. DahotreN. B. and HampikianJ. M.), Elevated temperature coatings: science and technology II, Proceedings of a symposium held during the TMS Annual Meeting ‘96, Anaheim, CA, February 4-8, 1996, TMS, 1996, 31–46.
19.
SVANSONS. E., FORSLINDE. and O'KEEFEJ. G.: ‘Nuclear magnetic resonance study of B coordination in potassium borate glasses’, J. Phys. Chem., 1962, 66, 174–175.
20.
SHELBYJ. E.: ‘Thermal expansion of alkali borate glasses’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1983, 66, 225–227.
21.
GRISCOMD. L.: ‘Borate glass structure’, (eds. PyeL. D., FrechetteV. D. and KreidlN. J.), Borate glasses: structure and properties, and applications (Materials Science Research, vol. 17), New York, Plenum, 1978, 11–149.
22.
VEDISHCHEVAN. M., SHAKHMATKINB. A., SHULTZM. M. and WRIGHTA. C.: ‘Simulation of the structure of borate glasses and melts on the basis of thermodynamics’, (ed. WrightA. C.), Proc. Second Int. Conf. on Borate Glasses, Crystals, and Melts, Sheffield, The Society of Glass Technology, 1997, 215–222.
23.
TURKDOGANE. T.: ‘Pheological and transport properties. physico-chemical properties of molten slags and glasses’, London, The Metals Society, 1983, 1–63.
24.
ZHANGZ. and REDDYR. G.: ‘Viscosity of lead silicate slags’, Miner. Metall. Process., 2002, 19, 37–42.
25.
REDDYR. G. and HEBBARK.: ‘Viscosity of FeO-SiO2 slags’, Miner. Metall. Process., 2001, 18, 195–199.
26.
ZHANGZ. and REDDYR. G.: ‘Distribution of various structural species in alkali borate melts’, (ed. TaylorP. R.), EPD Congress, TMS, Warrendale, CA, USA, 2001, 353–367.
27.
SHARTSISL., CAPPSW. and SPINNERS.: ‘Viscosity and electrical resistivity of molten alkali borates’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1953, 36, 319–326.
28.
VARSHNEYAA. K.: ‘The boron anomaly. Fundamentals of inorganic glasses’, New York, Academic Press, 1994, 106–111.
29.
LIP., GHOSEA. C. and SUG.: ‘Viscosity determination of boron oxide and binary borates’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1962, 45, 83–88.
30.
VISSERT. J. M. and STEVELSJ. M.: Aheological properties of boric oxide and alkali borate glasses. J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 1972, 7, 376–394.
