Soda-lime-silica glass containers: Chemical durability and weathering products

In a previous paper the weathering of the internal surface of empty glass containers before filling was investigated. Several phenomena were identified and described such as leaching of modifiers, formation of a hydrated leached layer and of crystalline deposits mainly consisting of Ca-carbonates and Na-carbonates. Localised glass surface corrosion was sometimes also detected. The role of the storage conditions, time, temperature, relative humidity and concentrations of pollutant gases (CO2, SO2), in the weathering phenomena was highlighted [1]. In the present work the composition of the weathered glass layer and the nature of the crystalline deposits are investigated. Furthermore, in order to examine more closely the weathering mechanisms and their causes, the correlation between durability laboratory tests and chemical composition of soda-lime-silica glass are discussed. © 2008 Trans Tech Publications.