Reduced Young modulus and hardness of electron irradiated binary potassium-silicate glass

Binary potassium silicate glass of composition 15 mol% K2O + 85 mol% SiO2 was irradiated with 50 keV electrons. Dependence of mechanical properties of the irradiated glass on electron doses were measured by means of nanoindentation. The reduced Young modulus and hardness decrease for higher doses. The changes in mechanical properties are dominantly determined by the density variation and silica network depolymerisation during the electron bombardment.