The stereochemical activity of Lead and Boron Anomaly in the structure of binary PbO-BO1.5 glass.

Lead borate are topologically complex consisting of coexisting BO n (n = 3, 4) and PbO n (n = 4–6) units. The borate network chages significantly with the addition of modifiers like alkali oxides or PbO, influencing the balance between [BO₃] and [BO₄]⁻units and introducing non-bridging oxygens. Pb²⁺ plays a dual role—acting as a modifier at low concentrations and a network former at higher levels, where its stereochemically active lone pair contributes to structural distortion. The mutual influence between borate and lead oxide units is not fully understood, making structural studies essential. This work employs neutron scattering to investigate these interactions at the atomic scale.