Preparation of TiO₂-Na₂O glass by sol-gel method and structural characterization

The applicability of sol-gel process in glass formation of binary system, (100 - x)TiO₂-xNa₂O (x = 10, 20, 30), was investigated and the glasses were prepared successfully by the sol-gel process for the first time. The process of glass formation was checked by using X-ray diffraction measurement and DTA-TG analysis. In the baking step, a DTA peak related to the crystallization of gel was found. The short-range structure of glassified samples was studied by neutron scattering measurement. It is found from the results of neutron scattering measurement that the coordination number of O atom around Ti atom is about 4, and the O atoms around Ti atom form a planer square rather than a regular tetrahedron.