The first scientific evidence of silicate glass corrosion was obtained in 1770 by Lavoisier, who showed that the powder remaining in a glass flask after distilling water had been part of the flask. A balance was his main analytical tool. Present understanding of the interaction between glass surfaces and gaseous/liquid media, commonly known as glass corrosion, has come a long way since then, due mainly to the sophisticated analytical methods available today. This article reviews the most efficient analytical tools for investigating glass corrosion phenomena on microscopic and macroscopic scales. It focuses on the surface analytical methods that can be applied for insulating surfaces. Glass corrosion phenomena and the underlying mechanisms, as they are presently understood, are described. State-of-the-art analytical methods are reviewed.
