Former-Modifier Anomaly: A War For Structural Liberation

Dear Friends,

I have been wondering that how can we change our shades, colors, characteristics, nature, and sacrifice ourselves. There is certainly a breaking point, as discussed earlier; there are few glasses which do break up/show up their temperament to these modifiers. Interesting part is they have dual structure, which means they are polymorphous i.e., trigonal and tetrahedra (borates); octahedral and tetrahedral (Germanates) both of them have hit back attitude and that’s what makes them warriors in field of glass science. More applications can be extracted, if glasses are not slaves to modifiers. This concept is bit overhead when we quest what exactly this anomaly is.

Structural Borate Units

The Modifier cation Na+, enters into to the pure boroxal structure then forms lose trigonal borate structure and tries to build better coordination and makes it stronger tetrahedral, Boron too accepts and gets trained by bridging oxide network, this story continues and the density of glass changes initially, later the structurally align themselves as if it’s a war with other constituents in matrix and they form diborate, triborate, pentaborate structures. The beauty happens when Modifiers and formers are in ratio of 1:2, i.e., 33.33% and 66.66%, Former starts its rebellion army and hits back by breaking up the bridged networks, thereby beyond this, the glass structure loosens and finally it reverts back to trigonal structural units in glass.

Yes, Change accepted, can compromise upto 50 % from the initial state; beyond 30 mol%  of alkali modifiers, the trend appears to decrease its  N4 fractions. 

To understand this truth, we need to experience in life but for materials we must experiment. As we are aware that glass is a noncrystalline solid ( for this structural studies ) have been made to conform the change from 3 fold coordination to 4 fold and then revert back to 3 fold coordination. This means for borate glass, the average coordination number lies between 3 and 4 and similarly for Germanate glass, it lies between 4 and 6. We also know that the study of glass is not only structural but there are evidences from thermal regime with the help of Tg. Correlating both Structure and Thermal picture, we can understand how anomaly has originated.

The Concept of Anomaly begins with breaking the network in glass system.

This concept reminds me the natural warzone strategies, as we go back chronologically, I feel that how the entire world fought back Britain army? It’s something like this, they tried to modify our system, our culture, our heritage and we accepted it till they never touched the sentiments of religion. When they crossed their limit, we have seen the rise of rebellions like Mangal Pandey, Bhagath Singh, Chandrashekar Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose who fought like warriors.

This made me feel, that there is a limit for modifiers when they walk in, now the change of modifiers do happen between individuals, thanks to globalization where there is a huge cultural difference between the same races contributing to major disintegration between the two. The life has brought color to new attitude, where people claim that I can’t sacrifice anymore.

This is what I understand when we see the world of modifiers in structural changes. Finally, this attitude what we see from former, is an anomaly if it is visualized from modifiers perception. A deep introspection on these network made me realize that the natural tendency of human beings who are transparent like glass, do showcase themselves as rebellions when they feel.
Network Modifier content beyond certain percentage in Oxide matrix creates Non Bridging oxide network like this ..

“Enough is enough I cannot Change anymore” – This is what few oxide glass formers reply to alkali modifiers.

I never realized that Boron Oxide Anomaly is going to be my  75th article. With the celebration, I wish all my friends to accept the anomaly within us, as I believe that world of science believes in loyalty not in slavery. Finally, I guess I need a break from blog, I may return back in May.

Have a great day ahead!
Good Luck!