Chemical durability and mechanical properties of aluminoborosilicate glasses for water Cherenkov neutrino detection

摘要

A water Cherenkov neutrino detector provides unique and challenging service conditions for the application of photomultiplier tube (PMT) glasses. A vendor representative and a simplified boroaluminosilicate glasses were studied in the neutrino detection environment of high purity water (18-24 MΩ cm) at 14°C for their chemical durability and mechanical properties. In our work, a simulated static high purity water test at 14 and 25°C, was conducted in accordance to product consistency test (PCT) B. The 25°C test was for comparison of these glasses as well as with other reported works. Mechanical properties, indentation hardness and ring-on-ring testing, were measured on bulk samples exposed to high purity water at 14°C for as long as 40 days. Our results show coupling effects of pH and temperature on the chemical durability of both the glasses. The ion release behaviour suggests preferential release of Na and B.