Hydrogenic Species Interactions With Silicate Glass Surfaces

The interactions of glass surfaces with ambient atmospheres are dependent on the glass composition and its prior history. The thermal history (annealing) determines, in large part, the surface stresses and these stresses can lead to stress corrosion and crack propagation. Cracks can be pathways fro hydrogenic species (HO-, H20, H30+) and phase separation, e.g. in the case of alkali silicates. The study of these changes in glasses is greatly facilitated by the use of ion-beam techniques (RS, ERD) and resonant nuclear interactions. These techniques yield depth profiles of H and other glass constituents. The ambient hydration due to induced stresses has been studied in a variety of glasses.