Quantitative Analysis of Glass Structure with the Use of Infrared Reflection Spectra

It is predicted theoretically and justified experimentally that infrared reflectances are proportional to the concentrations of the vibrational species causing them. In the binary Li 2 O-, Na 2 O-, and K 2 O-SiO 2 glasses used in this study, the reflection peaks have been assigned to vibrations of single silicon-oxygen tetrahedra in different symmetry environments caused by the presence of alkali ions. Care has been taken here in recording the spectra of high alkali glasses to prevent chemical reactions with water vapor in the atmosphere. The influence of phase separation on reflection spectra is also discussed.