Substructures in Silicate Glasses

Glass compositions are correlated with published data for refractive index, specific volume, and fluidity, which indicate the presence of different structural types in silicate glasses. These structural types are shown to be uniquely related to the composition areas of primary crystallization phase fields. It is suggested that these different structural types are to be understood as silicate framework structures or “substructures” in which other appropriate cations may be accommodated. The described data relations definitely establish the presence of different recognizable substructures in silicate glasses but do not permit judgments on their detailed characteristics.