Influence of the electric double layer on glass leaching

When a glass comes into contact with water, an electric double layer forms at the glass-water interface. An analytical model that calculates the electric field and the resulting velocity of univalent alkali ions migrating in the glass matrix is developed. The ion migration velocity is calculated for an 85% SiO₂–15% Na₂O glass and for more complex glasses. The calculations indicate that the process of ion migration leads to normalized leach rates which are small compared to glass network dissolution rates.