Effect of SiO2 and Al2O3 addition on the density, Tg and CTE of mixed alkali - alkaline earth borate glass

Mixed alkali - alkaline earth borate glasses, with the addition of silica and alumina, have been studied for their density, Tg and CTE with a view of exploring the applicability of these glasses in glass to metal sealing applications. It has been observed that silica addition results in an increase in density and Tg while the alumina addition decreases the density and Tg. The variation in CTE exhibits minima with the addition of both, silica and alumina. An attempt is made here to explain the observed variations in the properties on the basis of different mass of the additives, number of non bridging oxygens (NBOs) and other changes in the glass network.