Reactions of Glasses with Aqueous Solutions

The kinetics of the reactions of various glasses with water and aqueous solutions with pH from 1 to 13 was studied. Simple binary alkali oxide‐silica glasses were examined as well as some ternary glasses derived from the binary compositions by substituting alkaline‐earth oxides for silica. All components of the glass were determined in the extract; the glasses varied from those very easily decomposed by water to those having durability comparable to that of commercial glasses. The equilibrium conditions of the system glass‐water are distinguished from the approach to that equilibrium normally observed in such experiments. The rates of removal of various glass constituents under varied experimental conditions are reported and potential mechanisms for these reactions are discussed.