
Transient subsurface hardening of soda–lime–silica glass by superheated steam
Aqueous corrosion of soda–lime–silica (SLS) glass surfaces is a ubiquitous phenomenon, demanding a thorough under- standing of the underpinning structural chemistry. Here we unveil the fugacious behaviour of water molecules within the disseminated voids of the subsurface
silicate network of SLS glass. The surface nanostructural modifications caused by the exposure of the glass surface to continuous flow of superheated steam was investigated. The variation of hardness was studied as a function of depth from the glass surface, in correlation with the structural
alterations at atomic scale by surface sensitive spectroscopic techniques. The analysis of the modification of the surface nanostructure, driven by the enhanced mobility of the silicate network effectuated by superheated steam at the vicinity of glass transition temperature (Tg
), serves as a model to explain the activity of water molecules within the glass network. We attribute the evidence of transient subsurface hardening to the loss of interstitial water molecules within the silicate rings.
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: University of Bayreuth, Keylab Glass Technology, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany 2: University of Bayreuth, Chair of Ceramic Materials Engineering, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str. 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
Publication date: December 1, 2023
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