Infrared Spectroscopic Studies of the Hydrolysis Reaction During Leaching of Heavy-Metal Fluoride Glasses

In this work, the interfacial reactions of heavy‐metal fluoride glasses with water have been investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. High dilution and stirring conditions were maintained to prevent any influence of pH drift and reprecipitation. From comparisons of the integrated absorption peak areas for the O‐H stretching and H‐O‐H bending vibrations in the glass with those for molecular water, the contributions of metal hydroxyls formed in the corrosion layer can be separated from the total O‐H band. The comparison between the infrared spectra for leached samples and hydroxides of the glass components show the presence of Zr‐OH and La‐OH groups in ZrF4‐based glasses after leaching and drying and of Th‐OH groups in ThF4 glass, indicating the existence of F.‐/OH‐ ion exchange between the glass surface and water.