AMINE-REACTIVE SURFACE-CHEMISTRY OF ZINC PHOSPHATE-GLASSES

Surface chemical studies on zinc phosphate glasses were carried out with an ammonia probe using FTIR and XPS. Low softening point zinc phosphate glasses can be co-extruded with high softening point polymers to form polymer filled blends. NH3 reacts with P-OH groups (Bronsted acid sites) to form bound NH4+ and with the zinc ions (Lewis acid sites) to form coordinately bound NH3. Bulk nitridation reactions, forming various P-N bonds to >100 nm, occur concurrently. The glass surfaces were depleted in Zn compared to the batch compositions. Exposure to ambient water vapor removed Lewis acid bound ammonia; aqueous washing removed both types. Di- and tri-methyl amines also reacted with surface Bronsted and Lewis acid sites. These amine reactions have the potential for binding polymer chains to the glass surface.