TEM studies of silver nanoparticles in phase-separated soda lime silicate glasses

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to characterise the microstructure of a phase-separated soda lime silicate glass in which sodium was partially substituted by silver during the ion exchange process. To transform the dopant ions into nanosized particles of colloidal silver, high-temperature annealing (in air and hydrogen) and irradiation (γ-rays from a 60Co source) were used. It has been stated that both treatments affect not only the dopant ions but also the morphology of the matrix. A variety of the induced changes could be exploited for new applications of multicomponent soda lime silicate glasses.