Copper ⇌ Alkali Ion Exchange of Alkali Aluminosillcate Glasses in Copper‐Containing Molten Salt: I, Monovalent Copper Salt, CuCl

Abstract

Cu+⇌ R+ (R = Li, Na, and K) ion exchange experiments were conducted for 20R2O·10Al2O3·70SiO2 glasses in molten CuCl at 550°C in air and nitrogen atmospheres. The depth profiles of the copper incorporated into glasses were determined with an electron microprobe X‐ray analyzer. The total amount of diffusing copper, Mt, strongly depended on the type of alkali ion in the glass and the ion‐exchange atmosphere; i.e., Mt increased with increasing cationic size in the order Li < Na < K and Mt was greater in air than in nitrogen. The Cu ⇌ R+ ion exchange kinetics are discussed in detail.