Observation of Glass Nanophase Separation from TEM Fresnel Contrast Images

Abstract

Properties of phase-separated glasses, such as mechanical strength, chemical durability, and optical transmission, change drastically with the sizes and types of phase separation. Characterizing glass phase separated structures at the nanometer scale is vital for establishing the structure-property relation of various glass systems. This work will first briefly review the “staining” technique previously used to reveal the nanodroplet phase separation in Pyrex glass and its limitations. It will then introduce the TEM Fresnel contrast technique for studying glass structures. The theoretical background, practical application procedures, and examples of the method are described.