The field-assisted ionic diffusion of metals was used for the controlled doping of silicate glasses. A metallic film, deposited onto the substrate by radio-frequency sputtering, was used as the metal-ion source. In particular, Co was introduced into a soda-lime glass for the first time by means of field-assisted ion exchange; thus giving rise to diffusion profiles that were observed to depend upon the temperature and the electric-field intensity across the sample. This technique, which permitted the glass matrix to be doped with high metal concentrations, could be used as the first step in the preparation of nanostructured glass composites. The shape of the measured Co diffusion profiles indicated that the migration process depended not only upon the experimental parameters but also upon the behavior of alkali ions within the glass. Chemical phenomena which occurred at the metal/glass interface also played a significant role in the penetration of the Co ions. The possibility of doping the glass with 2 different metal species was also investigated with the aim of creating conditions for the formation of core-shell or alloy nanoclusters.

Field-Assisted Ion Diffusion of Transition Metals for the Synthesis of Nanocomposite Silicate Glasses. F.Gonella, P.Canton, E.Cattaruzza, A.Quaranta, C.Sada, A.Vomiero: Materials Science and Engineering C, 2006, 26[5-7], 1087-91