Effect of fluorine and nitrogen content on the properties of Ca-Mg-Si-Al-O-(N)-(F) glasses

X-ray amorphous glasses of composition (in equivalent percent) 15Ca:15Mg: 55Si:15Al:(100-x-y)O:xN:yF with x=0, 10, 15 and y=0, 1, 3, 5, were prepared by melting and casting. The effects of oxygen substitution by fluorine and/or nitrogen on the physical, mechanical, thermal and optical properties of the glasses have been investigated. Molar volume, fractional glass compactness, microhardness, Young's Modulus, glass-transition temperature, dilatometric-softening point and refractive index increased linearly with nitrogen substitution for oxygen, whereas molar volume and thermal expansion coefficient decreased linearly with nitrogen increase. In contrast, all properties except glass-transition temperature and dilatometric-softening point, are virtually unaffected by fluorine substitution for oxygen. Significant and linear, decreases in thermal properties occurred with increasing fluorine substitution level. All the data collected and its analysis clearly showed that the substitution effects of fluorine for oxygen on the studied properties of the glasses of the system with general formula Ca-Mg-Si-Al-O-(N)-(F) are totally independent and additive with respect to the substitution effects of nitrogen for oxygen on glass properties.