Sound velocities and refractive index of densified a-SiO2 to 25 GPa

Elastic moduli of permanently densified silica glasses

Modelling the mechanical response of silica glass is still challenging, due to the lack of knowledge concerning the elastic properties of intermediate states of densification. An extensive Brillouin Light Scattering study on permanently densified silica glasses after cold compression in diamond anvil cell has been carried out, in order to deduce the elastic properties of such glasses and to provide new insights concerning the densification process. From sound velocity measurements, we derive phenomenological laws linking the elastic moduli of silica glass as a function of its densification ratio. The found elastic moduli are in excellent agreement with the sparse data extracted from literature, and we show that they do not depend on the thermodynamic path taken during densification (room temperature or heating). We also demonstrate that the longitudinal sound velocity exhibits an anomalous behavior, displaying a minimum for a densification ratio of 5%, and highlight the fact that this anomaly has to be distinguished from the compressibility anomaly of a-SiO₂ in the elastic domain.

Vitreous silica distends in helium gas: acoustic versus static compressibilities

Sound velocities of vitreous silica are measured under He compression in the pressure range of 0-6 GPa by Brillouin light scattering. It is found that the well-known anomalous maximum in the pressure dependence of the compressibility is suppressed by He incorporation into the silica network. This shows that the elastic anomaly relates to the collapse of the largest interstitial voids in the structure. The huge difference between the static and the acoustic compressibilities indicates that the amount of incorporated helium still increases at 6 GPa.

Progressive transformations of silica glass upon densification

The elastic and plastic behaviors of silica glasses densified at various maximum pressure reached (12 GPa, 15 GPa, 19 GPa, and 22 GPa), were analyzed using in situ Raman and Brillouin spectroscopies. The elastic anomaly was observed to progressively vanish up to a maximum pressure reached of 12 GPa, beyond which it is completely suppressed. Above the elastic anomaly the mechanical behavior of silica glass, as derived from Brillouin measurements, is interpreted in terms of pressure induced transformation of low density amorphous silica into high density amorphous silica.

Combined ultrasonic elastic wave velocity and microtomography measurements at high pressures

Combined ultrasonic and microtomographic measurements were conducted for simultaneous determination of elastic property and density of noncrystalline materials at high pressures. A Paris-Edinburgh anvil cell was placed in a rotation apparatus, which enabled us to take a series of x-ray radiography images under pressure over a 180° angle range and construct accurately the three-dimensional sample volume using microtomography. In addition, ultrasonic elastic wave velocity measurements were carried out simultaneously using the pulse reflection method with a 10° Y-cut LiNbO(3) transducer attached to the end of the lower anvil. Combined ultrasonic and microtomographic measurements were carried out for SiO(2) glass up to 2.6 GPa and room temperature. A decrease in elastic wave velocities of the SiO(2) glass was observed with increasing pressure, in agreement with previous studies. The simultaneous measurements on elastic wave velocities and density allowed us to derive bulk (K(s)) and shear (G) moduli as a function of pressure. K(s) and G of the SiO(2) glass also decreased with increasing pressure. The negative pressure dependence of K(s) is stronger than that of G, and as a result the value of K(s) became similar to G at 2.0-2.6 GPa. There is no reason why we cannot apply this new technique to high temperatures as well. Hence the results demonstrate that the combined ultrasonic and microtomography technique is a powerful tool to derive advanced (accurate) P-V-K(s)-G-(T) equations of state for noncrystalline materials.

Network rigidity in GeSe2 glass at high pressure

Acoustic measurements using synchrotron radiation have been performed on glassy GeSe2 up to pressures of 9.6 GPa. A minimum observed in the shear-wave velocity, associated anomalous behavior in Poisson's ratio, and discontinuities in elastic moduli at 4 GPa are indicative of a gradual structural transition in the glass. This is attributed to a network rigidity minimum originating from a competition between two densification mechanisms. At pressures up to 3 GPa, a conversion from edge- to corner-sharing tetrahedra results in a more flexible network. This is contrasted by a gradual increase in coordination number with pressure, which leads to an overall stiffening of the glass.

Influence of fictive temperature and composition of silica glass on anomalous elastic behaviour

In order to determine the influence of the thermal history (fictive temperature) and OH content on the elastic properties of silica glass, we have investigated high resolution in situ Brillouin experiments on SiO(2) glass from room temperature to the supercooled liquid at 1773 K across the glass transition. The well known anomalous increase of elastic modulus in the glassy state and in the supercooled liquid regime is observed. No change in the slope of the elastic moduli of silica appears as a characteristic of the glass transition, in contrast to what happens in various other glasses. We show that thermal history has a weak effect on elastic moduli in the glass transition regime for silica glass. The effect of the water content in silica glass is greater than the fictive temperature effect and gives larger changes in the amplitude of the elastic modulus for the same thermal dependence. A singular decrease above 1223 K is also observed in the shear moduli for hydrated samples. Different models explaining the temperature dependence of the elastic properties in relationship with frozen-in density fluctuations or with the structure are discussed.

In situ Brillouin spectroscopy of a pressure-induced apparent second-order transition in a silicate glass

Brillouin scattering measurements of a silicate glass, carried out at high pressures in the diamond anvil cell, show a dramatic increase in the pressure dependence of longitudinal velocity, and a discontinuity in the compressibility of the glass at about 6 GPa. While a first-order phase transition has been documented under pressure within amorphous ice, we demonstrate that an apparent second-order transition to a new, structurally distinct amorphous phase can occur via the abrupt onset of a new compressional mechanism, which may be triggered by a shift in polymerization of the glass or an onset of a change in coordination of silicon, within pressurized amorphous silicates.