Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance study of the structure of lanthanum phosphate crystals and glasses

Abstract

Lanthanum phosphate glasses were synthesized by melt quenching and characterized by x-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analysis, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A range of compositions near the metaphosphate composition (75 mol% P2O5) was examined. Comparison of 31P chemical shifts and shielding anisotropies of glasses with those of the crystalline phases of La(PO3)3 (metaphosphate) and LaP5O14 (pentaphosphate) were consistent with the presence of primarily chainlike Q2 phosphate groups.