Fluorophosphate glasses containing manganese

New fluorophosphate glasses based on MnF2, NaPO3 and MFn (M = Zn2+, Sr2+, Mg2+, Ba2+, Li+, Na+ and K+) have been synthesised and characterized. Large vitreous areas were observed. Samples of 4 mm in thickness have been obtained. These glasses are easy to prepare and stable in ambient air. Depending on the composition and the nature of the M cation, glass transition temperature, T-g, lies between 230 and 314 degrees C, crystallisation temperature, T-x is between 320 and 475 degrees C. These glasses are pink coloured, and infrared transmission extends up to 4.5 mu m with extrinsic OH- absorption band at 3200 cm(-1) and other bands around 2200 and 1600cm-1 that relate to PO4 tetrahedron vibration. Other physical properties including density, microhardness, Young modulus, thermal expansion and refractive index were investigated and correlated to composition. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.