Solubility And Diffusion Of Water In Melts Of E And Wool Glasses

The solubility and diffusion of water were measured between 900 and 1300 deg C in melts of a wool glass and between 1050 and 1250 deg C for E glass melts. The diffusivity of water increases by a factor of >35 for the wool glass melts over this temperature range, with diffusivities for both compositions lying in the range between 8x10-7 and 4x10-5 cm2/s. The solubility of water in these melts is independent of temperature within the limits of the measurements. Measurements could not be made at higher temperatures for E glass melts due to enhanced evolution of boron from the melt in an atmosphere containing a high water vapour concentration.