Title : My opinion on the evolution of glass annealing and modernity
Abstract:
This article provides an analysis of the works on glass annealing, which is the process of bringing the physical properties of glass (refractive index, electrical conductivity, heat capacity, thermal expansion, etc.) to the desired values in the shortest possible time. These works were published over a significant period of time, from Adams and Williamson, who formulated the criteria for annealing in the early 1920s, to the works based on the modern relaxation theory of glass formation. In addition to the relaxation processes that occur during annealing, such as changes in the glass structure and mechanical relaxation, the article briefly discusses the features of thermo-physical processes in melts and glasses over a wide range of temperatures. The article also provides a detailed discussion of the Tula-Narayanaswamy model and its variants, which not only describe the changes in the properties of a glassy melt but also allow for quantitative predictions of these changes for arbitrary temperature and time regimes. The author's considerations on the shortest paths and optimal means of practical application of modern ideas about glass annealing and some results of solved practical problems of glass annealing and its joints are presented. The prospects for applying the relaxation theory of glass formation in modern glass technology and products are assessed.
