Effects of ion implantation on the hardness and friction behaviour of soda-lime silica glass

Abstract

Ion implantation-induced changes in the near-surface mechanical properties of soda-lime silica glass have been investigated by indentation and scratch testing and have been found to be more complicated than changes in the corresponding properties of crystalline ceramic materials. Argon, nitrogen, carbon and potassium ions were used with energies in the range 45–300 keV. Hardness and scratch friction tests were performed under ambient laboratory conditions. At low doses, a decrease in hardness and an increase in both friction and surface stress are observed which are attributed to the electronic damage produced by ion implantation. At higher doses, the hardness increases again and a maximum is produced similar to the behaviour observed for crystalline materials. Similarly there is found to be a second stress and friction peak at this dose. This behaviour is shown to be due to the build-up of displacement damage produced by ion implantation and is thus very similar to the radiation hardening (and eventual amorphization) behaviour of ion-implanted crystalline ceramics. For glass, “amorphization” probably corresponds to some change in the existing amorphous state which, in turn, is responsible for the reduction in hardness, stress and friction at the highest doses.