Glasses as Electrolytes in Galvanic Cells: Silver Glasses

Abstract

The behavior of glass as an electrolyte in galvanic cells has been used as a means to study the constitution of glass. Potentials have been measured in cells made of alkali borate, silicate, and phosphate glasses containing heavy‐metal ions. The magnitude of the potentials is indicative of the forces between these heavy‐metal ions and the glass. Platinum electrodes were used. For Ag+ glasses, cells of the type Pt/Ag+ glass/Ag/‐ Pt were formed by reduction of the Ag+ ions in the vicinity of one electrode by hydrogen between 200° and 400°C. The e.m.f. of these cells were of the order of 1.0 volt for silicate glasses, 0.7 volt for borate glasses, and 0.3 volt for phosphate glasses. The interpretation of these potentials is based on the stability of the Ag+ ions in the different glasses.