B2O3 glass former as a molecular matter revealed by heat capacity

TL;DR

This study shows that B2O3 glass behaves more like a molecular substance than a traditional network glass, with heat capacity data revealing molecular motions and a transition linked to frozen translational movements.

Contribution

It demonstrates that B2O3 is a molecular glass former, providing new insights into the nature of glass transition and the difference between solids and liquids.

Findings

B2O3's heat capacity aligns with molecular motions.

Transition involves freezing of translational motions.

B2O3 is characterized as a molecular matter rather than a network glass.

Abstract

Heat capacity of B2O3 glass former in a wide temperature region is described well with the intrinsic motions for non-spherical B2O3 molecules, revealing that rather than a conventional network glass former, B2O3 is a typical molecular matter in which the transition from liquid to glass in the system corresponds to the frozen of translational motions for molecules. The finding might provide an opportunity to understand the mysterious glass transition, as well as the intrinsic difference between solids and liquids.