Diffusivity, Solubility and Speciation of Sulphur in Silicate Melts

Diffusion and solubility of sulphur have important effects on the degassing of silicate melts. Both properties are closely related to the structural incorporation of sulphur in the melt. Depending on the oxygen fugacity, sulphur can be present as sulphide (S2-), sulphite (S4+) or sulphate (S6+). Sulphates play an important role in the industrial production of glasses especially in the fining process. The decomposition products of sulphate amass in bubbles which ascend and homogenize the melt. Structural incorporation of sulphur in glasses is studied by XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy). Diffusion of sulphur is investigated in simple silicate systems using the diffusion couple technique. First diffusion profiles were measured in sodium trisilicate glasses by electron microprobe. The results indicate that sulphur diffusivity in high temperature melts is close to the Eyring diffusivity calculated from viscosity data.