Structural relaxation kinetics at temperatures below the glass transition temperature

Abstract

The relaxation phenomenon is intrinsic to all vitreous material, although it is underexplored at temperatures well below the glass transition temperature (Tg). This projects proposal is the in-depth study of the structural relaxation of a dropsied glass (CaO.MgO.2SiO2) at temperatures close and below Tg. The structural relaxation will be quantified from index refraction measurements after different isothermal heat treatments. We aim to connect the relaxation kinetics with the viscous flow of this material. Also, with previously obtained crystallization data for the diopside glass, we will lo of for a solution to the Kauzmann paradox, which says that there is a temperature (higher than 0 K) where the entropy of a supercoiled liquid is the same that of a crystal.