Structural studies of zinc polyphosphate glasses by nuclear magnetic resonance

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of solids and of liquids was used to study the structure of xZnO+(1−x)P2O5 glasses prepared from a glass melt in the composition range 0.35⩽x⩽0.70. Relative concentrations of Qn units in the solid glasses have been compared with the liquid NMR spectra and with the predictions based on the reorganization theory. Disproportionation reactions in glass liquids of meta- and pyrophosphates are evident. Anisotropies of chemical shift tensor for all phosphorus units are given. Structural changes associated with CSA parameters, including the presence of rings and chains are discussed. Both solid and liquid state NMR spectra show that ultraphosphate glasses consist mainly of ring structures, while only chains are present in metaphosphates.