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Effect of aqueous‐based mechanical polishing on the nanoindentation response of borosilicate glasses
Author(s) -
Hackett Benjamin L.,
Wereszczak Andrew A.,
Pharr George M.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of applied glass science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.383
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 2041-1294
pISSN - 2041-1286
DOI - 10.1111/ijag.13108
Subject(s) - borosilicate glass , nanoindentation , materials science , polishing , composite material , chemical mechanical planarization , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , scanning electron microscope , elastic modulus , aqueous solution , chemical engineering , chemistry , engineering
When attempting to measure material properties by sampling near‐surface volumes with techniques like nanoindentation, careful consideration of the state of the surface compared to the bulk is paramount for valid characterization. The process of surface planarization of glass in preparation for analysis is no exception. Water's general reactivity with silicate glasses has been well‐established, but under the typical conditions for mechanical polishing, the usual practical assumption is that the potential effects on measured mechanical properties are insignificant due to the short period of glass‐water interaction and the non‐extreme corrosive environment. On the contrary, in this study, it is shown that the act of polishing certain borosilicate glass compositions in an aqueous environment directly affects the nanomechanical response to several micrometers, reducing the measured elastic modulus and hardness by ~20% and ~35%, respectively. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to confirm the formation of an altered, hydrated surface layer.