Effects of surface chemistry on the nanomechanical properties of commercial float glass

Nanoindentation was used to evaluate the mechanical properties of commercial float glass surfaces that were subjected to various surface cleaning treatments and other short-term corrosion conditions. The changes in the plane strain elastic modulus, where ν_s and E_s are the Poisson ratio and Young modulus of the specimen, respectively) and hardness after exposure to dilute hydrochloric acid (pH 0.9), reverse osmosis water (pH 7.1), and commercial cleaning solutions (pH 9.5) were found to be 0.5%-9% and 2%-35%, respectively. Similarly, weathering in a humid atmosphere and leaching in hot deionized water also had a distinct effect on the measured properties of the float glass surfaces. Moreover, both the surface cleaning treatments and the short-term corrosion exposures affected the tin side of the float glass differently than the air side. This work suggests that many of the discrepancies in the literature on the effect of tin concentration on the nanomechanical properties of float glass surfaces are likely due to variability in the surface cleaning and exposure history of the samples and calibration glasses that have been used.