Tellurite Glasses

Abstract

IT has been noted previously1 that the elements which, in the form of their oxides, are generally regarded as excellent glass formers have values of electronegativity on the Pauling scale2 of 1.7-2.1. For example, boron, silicon, phosphorus and germanium with electronegativity values of 2.0, 1.8, 2.1 and 1.7 form borate, silicate, phosphate and germanate glasses. In addition to these elements, others with values in the same range, according to Pauling, are arsenic and antimony (which form, for example, As2O3 and Sb2O3 glasses) and tellurium with an electronegativity value of 2.1, that is, the same as for phosphorus. These facts lead one to consider whether tellurium oxides or the tellurites or tellurates form glasses. © 1952 Nature Publishing Group.