Relation between elastic modulus and glass softening temperature in the delocalized atom model

The ratio of softening temperature (glass transition temperature) to elastic modulus (T _g /E) is mainly determined by the limiting elastic deformation of an interatomic bond, which characterizes the transition of a structural microregion from an elastic into a viscous-flow state. In silicate glasses, this transition is caused by the limiting deformation of directed ionic-covalent Si-O-Si bonds. In the case of amorphous hydrocarbons, it is related to the relatively weak intermolecular bonds between regions in chain macromolecules, and the T _g /E ratio is significantly higher than in inorganic glasses. In glassy systems of one class, this ratio turns out to be constant (T _g /E ?? const), and a linear correlation is detected between softening temperature and elastic modulus, which can be explained in terms of the delocalized atom model. The values of T _g /E can be used to classify glasses similarly to the well-known Angell classification according to so-called fragility.