Glasses for the preparation of gradient index lenses in the Na2O-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2 system - hydrolytic durability, thermal and optical properties

Abstract

Glasses in the system Na2O-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2 were melted from the raw materials and studied with respect to their chemical durability, their crystal growth velocities, their refractive index and dispersion, their glass transition temperature and their thermal expansion coeffieient. With inereasing Na2O concentration, the crystal growth velocity increases and the chemical durability decreases. Equimolar subtitution of B2O3 for SiO2 results in a decrease in both the chemical durability and in crystal growth velocities. Equimolar subtitution of AI2O3 for SiO2 leads to increasing chemical durability and decreasing crystal growth velocities. Optimum glass compositions to produce gradient index lenses should possess B2O3 concentrations of around 12.5 to 15 mor% and molar AI2O3 concentrations some percent larger than the Na2O concentration. In these glasses, nonbridging oxygen does not occur.