Corrosion Behavior Mechanism of Borosilicate Glasses Towards Different Leaching Solutions Evaluated by the Grain Method and FTIR Spectral Analysis Before and After Gamma Irradiation

Three selected borosilicate glasses of commercial applications were prepared and studied for their corrosion behavior by the accepted grain test method towards acidic and alkaline solutions and distilled water before and after gamma irradiation. The work was supplemented by investigating the FT infrared absorption spectra of the glasses after immersion through the KBr disc technique. The same IR measurements have been repeated after gamma irradiation. Experimental weight loss data reveal limited changes which vary with the type of leaching solution and its strength. Alkali hydroxide solutions cause more weight loss than acidic solutions due to their reactions with all glass constituents including silicate and borate species beside modifier ions while distilled water and acidic solutions react or attack the modifier ions through ion exchange corrosion behavior. FTIR spectral results show characteristic vibrational peaks due to combined silicate and borate groups which reveal an interconnected compact network structure within the mid region of wavenumber range 800–1400 cm⁻¹. This is due to the presence of four structural building units consisting mainly of SiO₄ beside BO₃, BO₄ and AlO₄ groups. The vibrational spectra slightly change with the immersion media because of the strong and compact network structure usually identified in borosilicate glasses. The commercial glass of the Schott type is the most durable studied glass because of high silica content (75%) together with combined 10% B₂O₃ and 5% Al₂O₃. Gamma irradiation results indicate minor changes in the weight loss data due to the compact network structure of the three commercial borosilicate glasses studied.