A mössbauer study of hematite dissolution and devitrification in float glass

The effect of 5% hematite on the devitrification behaviour of float glass has been measured as functions of time and temperature by Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The devitrification products are devitrite (Na₂O·3CaO·6SiO₂), cristobalite, quartz and an iron-rich pyroxene, aegirine ((Na Ca)(Fe, Mg) Si₂O₆) for which XRD data are tabulated. The Mössbauer parameters for glassy and crystalline materials are interpreted in terms ofthe aegirine structure, whose site assignment is discussed in terms of next-nearest neighbour effecs. The bulk dissolution data obtained by Mössbauer and XRD are used to generate diffusion coefficients for Fe³⁺ in the glass melt, using a moving boundary model for diffusion controlled dissolution. The diffusion coefficients at 800°C are D_{Fe³⁺ (XRD)} = 3.52 × 10^?15 cm²/s and D_{Fe³⁺ (MS)} = 1.27 × 10^?15 cm²/s.