A wide range of coloured electronic or mixed electronic-ionic glasses has b
een shown in the alkali oxide poor-region of the Li2O-MoO3-P2O5 system, nex
t to the colourless ionic glasses located in the alkali oxide rich-region.
These coloured glasses have been studied by electron paramagnetic resonance
(EPR) spectroscopy. The Mo5+ and Mo6+ cation percentages have been evaluat
ed for several series of glasses corresponding to either a fixed Li2O rate
or a constant Mo/P ratio. The electronic and the ionic contributions to the
total conductivity of these glasses have been determined. The existence of
a polaronic hopping conduction mechanism between Mo5+ and Mo6+ cations is
suggested in the purely electronic conductor glasses. An ion-polaron soft c
oupling is proposed in the ionic-electronic conductor glasses. (C) 2000 Els
evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.