Dissolution of a complex borosilicate glass at 60 °C: The influence of pH and proton adsorption on the congruence of short-term leaching

The short-term dissolution behaviour of a complex borosilicate glass has been investigated by controlled pH leaching, surface titration and leach rate temperature dependence experiments. The results indicate that the rates, congruence and mechanisms of dissolution vary significantly with pH. At low pH, dissolution occurs via a proton-promoted mechanism which results in enhanced release of B and many network modifying elements (relative to Si). At 60 °C in high pH media, dissolution is essentially congruent. Here, dissolution is surface reaction controlled and occurs via a hydroxyl-promoted network dissolution process. Selective leaching is favoured at low and near-neutral pH. Congruent dissolution occurs in solutions of pH greater than that at the point of zero net proton charge.