Investigation into γ-irradiated sodiumalumo- and sodiumboronphosphate glasses using EPR spectroscopy

EPR spectra of the PO32- and PO42- anion radicals resulted in the irradiation of end (Q(1)) and middle (Q(2)) phosphorus oxygen groups of phosphate glass chains were obtained for γ-irradiated soda-alumino- and soda-borophosphate glasses with the Na/P = 1 ratio, and variable Al/P and B/P ratios. The linear (2Q(1) + Q(2)) and end structural groups (3Q(2)) concentrations in the irradiated soda-borophosphate glass was established to be unaffected by the B/P ratio, whereas in soda-aluminophosphate glass the concentration of end structural groups increased proportionally with rise of the Al/P ratio. Last-mentioned serves to explain for the higher chemical stability of soda-aluminophosphate glass as compared with soda-aluminoborate glass