Surface hydration and nanoindentation of silicate glasses

The near-surface mechanical properties of glasses and differences in mechanical behaviour between high and low durability silicate glasses are investigated. Nanoindentation is used to examine the effect of hydration on the near-surface mechanical properties of silicate glasses with varying degrees of chemical durability. It is shown that hydration has little if any effect on high durability glasses even at long immersion times, whereas in low durable glasses hydration reduces the near-surface mechanical properties significantly and the thickness of hydrated layer may exceed the indentation depth. In addition an attempt is made to measure the thickness and mechanical properties of hydrated layer in low durability glasses where influence of the substrate is negligible.