UV-VIS spectroscopic investigations of amber glass at high temperatures

Abstract

The absorption spectra of iron-containing glasses and an amber glass were recorded in the temperature ränge of 25 to 700 °C. A shift of the UV absorption edge towards lower wave numbers with increasing temperature was found. The amount of the shift depends on the Fe³⁺ concentration. Here, the UV absorption edge may superimpose or even cover up the absorption bands of colouring ions with increasing temperatures. For an amber glass sample, with increasing temperature, the intensity of the absorption bands of the amber chromophore decreases slightly. However, above 550 °C the decomposition of the chromophore is observed. All changes are reversible when temperature is decreased again. The decomposition of the chromophore and the attributed temperature ränge are in agreement with thermodynamic calculations.