Raman spectra of indented pristine and irradiated sodium borosilicate glasses
Résumé
In this work we have carried out variable-load indentation testing on three sodium borosilicate glasses
and characterized the indentation imprints using Raman spectroscopy. The resulting analysis of the
spectra helps describe the relative amount of densification and shear
ow appearing in each glass, as well
as the different microstructural mechanisms that take place during deformation. Additionally, we show
that the two glasses that are relatively poor in sodium exhibit enhanced mixing of the silicate and borate
units after indentation. For the indentations performed using the highest load, we also acquired spectra
by focusing at various depths below the imprint, in order to characterize the deformed region of the
glasses and estimate its size. Similar experiments have been also carried out for one of the three glasses
after neutron irradiation, in order to study the effects of mechanical deformation on its depolymerized
and swollen structure.