HELIUM MIGRATION IN ALKALI GERMANATE GLASSES

Helium permeability, diffusivity, and solubility have been measured for sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium germanate glasses, and for one series of sodium-potassium germanate glasses. In each case, the helium permeability and diffusivity exhibit minima in the property-composition curves. These minima shift to greater alkali oxide content and increase in magnitude in the order Cs, Rb, K, Na-K, Na. These minima result from corresponding maxima in activation energy for helium migration. Helium solubilities do not exhibit similar minima, but rather decrease monotonically with increasing alkali oxide content. These results appear to be related to free-volume changes in the glasses as a function of composition. The inability of the current structural model for these glasses to explain the results of the present study raises questions regarding the validity of that model.