Self‐limited crystallization‐mediated removal of hydroxyl in glass

The effective removal of hydroxyl groups (OH) is receiving the attention of scientists interested in developing high-performance photonic glass. Previous approaches rely on stringent control of the various drying techniques which meet with limited success in silicate glass obtained by the sol-gel method. Here, we present a novel in situ strategy to remove structural OH groups, based on the self-limited nanocrystallization-triggered local chemical reaction between OH and F- in the glassy phase. The experimental data revealed that a more than 100-fold increase in the emission intensity can be realized. Moreover, the mechanism was discussed and it can be attributed to the effective removal of structural OH with especially strong binding energy. The results suggest an innovative avenue for the development of photonic glasses with efficient luminescence, excellent optical transmission, and improved reliability. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.