Stress Buildup and Relaxation During Ion Exchange Strengthening of Glass

A soda-lime-silica glass was subjected to an ordinary ion exchange treatment in molten potassium nitrate at temperatures near and substantially below the strain point of the glass. Stress profiles were measured as a function of exchange temperature and time. At all temperatures, the measurements showed rapid relaxation of the surface stress and the development of a pronounced compression maximum in a short period. A simple viscoelastic model with composition-independent parameters was used to analyze the stress profiles. Neither Maxwell's nor Michelson's relaxation expression could satisfy both characteristics of the residual stress development. Reasons for discrepancies are discussed.