Effect Of Environment On The Indentation Hardness And Surface Charge Of Glass

Deformation behaviour of soda-lime silicate glass in various aqueous electrolyte solutions was investigated using recording indentation. Hardness and Young's modulus values were deduced and measurements of streaming potential at the glass/solution interface were performed in order to understand the mechanisms of deformation in the (sub)surface layers of glass. The hardness and Young's modulus depend on the pH and the electrolyte concentration of the aqueous solution. Recording indentation and streaming potential results were correlated. The observed behaviour was in good agreement with predictions based on the variations in surface charge at the glass/solution interface, so called Rebinder effects.