Study of corrosion processes in glass by a multitechnique approach. part 1. Atomic absorption spectroscopy, atomic emission spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy

The kinetics of the reaction of four types of glasses (with medieval composition) with water and aqueous solutions of pH 2 and 4 were studied by exposing a well defined surface area of glass samples to the leaching solutions under static conditions. Aqueous leaching solutions of formic, acetic and phosphoric acids were used to study the influence of time, glass composition and acid concentrations on the leaching kinetics and mechanisms. The accounts of Na, K, Ca and Mg released into the leaching solution as functions of leaching time were determined by atomic absorption and atomic emission spectrometry. Quantities of hydrogen ion consumed by glass were determined by following the pH change of the leaching solutions. Diffusion coefficients were calculated from the variation of the solution alkali ion concentration with time.