Leaching processes were studied for lead glasses having a composition similar to that of certain archaeological materials (66 weight % PbO to 25% weight % PbO) to determine the mechanism if the structural evolution. The glasses were leached in two static acid media (HNO3 and CH3COOH, PH2) at 90 degrees for 35 days. Analyses were undertaken, of the leaching solution (PH, inductive coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry) and of the bulk glass (scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-Ray spectrometry, Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, Raman). Results show that, up to one day in both acids, a silicon-rich surface layer is formed via typical diffusion processes. This process continues up to 35 days in the case of acetic acid. In nitric acid, one observes a stabilisation of this layer and an increase in the metal content at the surface.
