STRUCTURE OF BOROSILICATE GLASSES.

In order to determine the types of structural units in borosilicate glasses, investigations have been carried out on the relation between the composition of the glasses and the properties. In a preliminary study the importance of wet-chemical preparation techniques was revealed. Together with the application of wet-chemical techniques, vacuum melting of the borosilicate glasses was also necessary to obtain reliable and useful results. The Raman and infrared spectra of many borosilicate glasses were recorded, and the viscosity, the electrical conduction, the thermal expansion and the internal friction as a function of temperature was measured. The density and refractive index of a limited number of compositions were measured. This study is primarily confined to sodium- and potassium-borosilicate glasses.