Applicatons of Hydration Thermodynamics to In-Situ Test Results

Abstract

ABSTRACTAn extremely important question for the eventual disposal of glass in natural environments is the relevance of laboratory testing of glass durability to the long-term performance of glass in geologic environments. The purpose of this study was to attempt to provide an empirical answer to that question, by applying the hydration thermodynamics approach (which has successfully been applied to laboratory tests of glass durability) to the results of longer-term testing in natural environments.The results show that hydration thermodynamics is a useful tool for explaining the effects of glass composition observed in in-situ tests, in several environments. Thus, it appears to provide a link between laboratory tests of glass durability and the results of in-situ tests in natural environments. Perhaps the most important conclusion of this effort is that the in-situ test results emphasize the importance of control of chemical composition during glass production as a means of achieving a durable glass.