Phase Separation in Borosilicate Glasses

Abstract

Dielectric measurements and direct‐transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze the phase separation and alteration in sodium borosilicate glasses. Metal impregnation of the glasses after leaching was particularly useful in observing the topology of separated phases whose characteristic dimensions are about 100 A. The results indicate that borosilicate glasses such as Vycor and Pyrex are fully phase separated when rapidly cooled from the melt and that subsequent heat treatment serves only to alter the structural characteristics of the separated phases. The topological characteristics of the initially segregated phases suggest that phase separation may occur by spinodal decomposition.