Topological constraint model of alkali tellurite glasses

A topological constraint model is developed to elucidate the coordination environment of alkali tellurite glasses. The model is derived from temperature-dependent constraint theory and provides a quantitative connection between the connectivity of the glass network and the compositional dependence of the glass transition temperature (T_g). Our model gives support to the model proposed by Barney et al. [J. Phys. Chem. Lett.4, 2312–2316 (2013)], confirming their model of the coordination environment in alkali tellurites. The model simultaneously serves as a framework that can be used in binary alkali glass-formers to predict an expected coordination the network forming cation in an oxide glass.