The structure of vanadate glass-ceramics containing BaTiO3.

The structure of vanadate glass-ceramics doped with BaTiO3 was measured by SEM technique. Samples of the composition of x[BaO,TiO2]–(80 − x)V2O5–20Bi2O3 where x = 5, 10 and 15 in mol% were prepared by a conventional melt quenching technique. The melting was performed in alumina crucibles at the temperature of 1273 K–1373 K. The melts were poured on a preheated (573 K) brass plate and pressed by another plate. A subset of as-quenched samples was heat treated in air at the temperature of 633 K (close to the crystallization temperature) for 6 h and cooled with the furnace. The chemical compositions of the glasses were determined by energy‐dispersive Xray spectrometer (EDX GENESIS Apex Apollo X60 spectrometer, Mahwah, NJ, USA) analysis, using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), FEI Company Quanta FEG250 (FEI, Eindhoven , The Netherlands). SEM observations were done with a SE‐ETD detector (secondary electron—Everhart–Thornley detector) using a 20 kV beam accelerating voltage and under the high vacuum (pressure 10−4 Pa). Samples were freshly fractured before measurements. Detailed information can be found in: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2014.01.008