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Atomic force microscope study of silicate glass fracture surfaces in air and in water environment
In the present work changes in the topography of less resistant K2O-CaO-SiO2 and more stable Na2O-CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 glasses were studied in-situ by using a high-resolution atomic force microscope (AFM) in contact mode. The images were taken in air and in water, using a special liquid cell in the latter case. Fresh fracture surfaces were prepared in the corresponding media and the samples were transferred immediately into the AFM. The freshly fractured K2O-containing glasses displayed an irregular ripple pattern in air with ripple diameters of (80 ± 20) nm, heights < 1.2 nm and root mean square (rms) roughnesses < 0.8 nm. With ongoing exposure time, these glasses form a gel layer, isolated droplets and larger drops which can even coalesce. Also partially crystalline secondary reaction products can be observed in the drops. The large drops themselves displayed topographies with a ripple pattern similar to that found on the gel layer-coated surfaces. The drops and the gel layers are soft and may be penetrated and moved by the scanning tip. The in-situ investigation of these glasses in water revealed topographies with a ripple pattern similar to freshly prepared surfaces. This pattern did not change with exposure time, obviously because the water in excess rinsed away possible reaction products. The more resistant Al2O3-containing glasses show a dissimilar behaviour. The ripple pattern on the fracture surfaces is smaller and does not change even after days. Due to the absence of capillary forces and lower van der Waals forces the ripple diameters are smaller in water than in air. Glasses with a high degree of network polymerization also show smaller ripples than glasses with more nonbridging oxygens.
Weathering of tin oxide coated glass with low IR emissivity
The weathering of K-glass has been studied by measuring transmission and reflection in the visible (VIS), near infrared (NIR) and infrared (IR) wavelength ranges, by chemical depth profiling with secondary neutral mass spectrometry (SNMS) and by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. K-glass is a commercial tin oxide coated glass with low IR emissivity. The SnO2:F-coated side has been exposed to atmospheric conditions for up to 32 weeks and for up to two years. It could be shown that the optical properties are only affected in the VIS range, but the visible contamination does not influence the high IR reflection. This means that the heat-insulating properties of window glazings with the K-glass coating on the surface do not degrade under atmospheric conditions. Chemical depth profiles did not reveal major changes, except for an increase in the signals of minor elements on the surface, namely sodium, carbon and silicon. AFM showed that after 32 weeks the deep valleys of the rather rough crystalline SnO2:F are partially filled up. The high transmission of new K-glass can be regained since contamination or corrosion products can be removed by washing. The coating itself is chemically stable.
Morphology of silica and borosilicate glass fracture surfaces by atomic force microscopy
Fracture surfaces of Herasil (silica) and Duran (borosilicate) glass rods were examined with an atomic force microscope. Generally the roughness in the fracture surface increases with growing distance from the origin of fracture. The morphology displays a variety of features. In the smooth fracture mirror near the origin of fracture the surface consists of small hillocks ≈25 nm in diameter and ≤ 1 nm high. With growing distance these hillocks increase in size and height. In the mist zone bigger outcrops occur with steep flanks. Steps can also be discovered in the fracture surface. Parts of the surface are covered by ripples, which are proposed to result from a local melting of the glass near the crack tip during fracture.