ABSTRACT
The surface atomic structures of silicate glasses are the basis for understanding their surface properties on an atomic level. Since specific surfaces of silicate glasses are conventionally much smaller than those of silica, the methods that have been used for the study of the silica surface are much less effective when applied to such surfaces. A glass atomic structure is amorphous, that is, irregular. Molecules adsorbed at different points of such a surface see different environments. Thus one should expect heterogeneity of silicate glass surfaces, which may be considered from an adsorption and chromatographic point of view as composed of adsorption sites. The slope of the linear isotherm obtained in this way on a heterogeneous surface will be the Henry constant averaged over all the patches. The magnitudes of the adsorption energy of water molecules on these sites are larger than the heat of liquefaction of water, which means hydrophilicity.
