Editorial

NMR techniques are employed to determine the relative fractions of boron atoms in Na₂OB₂O₃SiO₂ glasses of high soda content. The data show that if enough Na₂O is added, four-coordinated borons are destroyed and borons with one or two non-bridging oxygens are created, but that both the beginning point and the rate of these processes depend strongly on the amount of silica present. These findings are shown to be quantitatively inconsistent with structural models previously suggested in the literature. Utilizing the concept of proportionate atomic sharing of the additional Na₂O, a new structural model is proposed for K K = mol% SiO₂/mol% B₂O₃) which is consistent with all the data including previously reported data for glasses in the region of relatively low soda content. Using R = mol% Na₂O/mol% B₂O₃, the new model states that for , all the additional Na₂O is employed in forming non-bridging oxygens on the silica tetrahedra; then for R_D1 R R_D3 = 2 + K, the fraction $\text{(K +}\text{1}\text{4}\text{K)/(2 + K)}$ of the additional Na₂O destroys reedmernerite groups and forms pyroborate units plus silica tetrahedra with two non-bridging oxygens per Si atom, while the fraction $\text{(2 ?}\text{1}\text{4}\text{K)/(2 + K)}$ of the additional Na₂O destroys diborate groups and forms additional pyroborate units.