On the glass transition in vitreous silica by differential thermal analysis measurements

Scanning calorimetry measurements of the glass transition in vitreous SiO2 (about 120 wt ppm. OH groups) are reported. Data were obtained upon heating after controlled cooling through the glass transition, and after annealing at temperatures between 990 and 1292 K. The onset of the glass transition is at 1247 K, and the supercooled liquid state is reached at 1475 K. The step in the specific heat is (2.9 ± 0.7) J mol−1 K−1. This value, lower than the results of drop calorimetry experiments, agrees with the calculated value from viscosity data. The glass transition is nearly twice as wide as expected from the temperature dependence of the viscosity. Annealing reduces the enthalpy of glasses as usually expected, and the corresponding entropy decrease is in agreement with results for other network glasses. In vitreous silica, depending on the annealing temperature, both exothermic and endothermic processes take place. Based on Davis’ and Tomozawa’s results, endothermic processes upon annealing are attributed to the diffusion of the OH groups.