The microstructure of soda-lime silicate glasses detected by electron microscopy

Transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction performances were used to characterise the microstructure of a multicomponent soda-lime silicate glass, the composition of which corresponds to the miscibility gap in the SiO2-Na2O system. It has been stated that phase separation already exists in as prepared specimens, and the Na2O-rich phase occurs in the form of nearly spherical droplets. The microstructure of these glasses was modified by high-temperature annealing in air and hydrogen, by irradiation with soft X- and gamma-irradiation and by mechanical stretching. In this way the quantity, size, shape and distribution of these particles was changed. A variety of induced changes affects the structure-sensitive properties of commercial soda lime silicate glasses, which can be potentially useful for new applications.