Surface and near-surface structure of silicate glasses

This paper presents analytic results, derived by diffractional low and large angle X-ray scattering methods, currently applied in our laboratory, as well as novel methods of electron emission microscopy and interference-phase optical microscopy for studying the internal structure, and that of surface and near-surface layers of raw and stepwise-etched, composite oxide silicate glasses of the type SiO₂-Na₂O-CaO-MgO. The structural and topographic studies are supplemented with quantitative analysis of chemical composition on a micro-scale and in micro-regions by electron microprobe and microscopic measurements of the temperature characteristics in a series of the above glasses. Moreover, a discussion is given of chemical corrosion, surface strcuture and topography, and the distribution of micro and macro-inhomogeneity regions in surface layers. Structural parameters are obtained which described the surface and internal structure of silicate glasses well adapted to the construction of an approximate aperiodic nodal model. The applications of the latter and the accuracy of its parameters are discussed.