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Acid polishing of lead glass

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journal contribution
posted on 2023-02-28, 15:53 authored by Jonathan A Ward, Andrew C. Fowler
Purpose: The polishing of cut lead glass crystal is effected through the dowsing of the glass in a mixture of two separate acids, which between them etch the surface and as a result cause it to be become smooth. In order to characterise the resultant polishing the rate of surface etching must be known, but when this involves multicomponent surface reactions it becomes unclear what this rate actually is. Methods: We develop a differential equation based discrete model to determine the effective etching rate by means of an atomic scale model of the etching process. Results: We calculate the etching rate numerically and provide an approximate asymptotic estimate. Conclusions: The natural extension of this work would be to develop a continuum advection-diffusion model.

Funding

Mathematical modelling of bacterial growth and water quality in natural and commercial environments

Science Foundation Ireland

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Andrew Fowler

Science Foundation Ireland

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MACSI (Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry)

Science Foundation Ireland

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History

Publication

Journal of Mathematics in Industry;1:1

Publisher

SpringerOpen

Note

peer-reviewed

Other Funding information

SFI

Language

English

Also affiliated with

  • MACSI - Mathematics Application Consortium for Science & Industry

Department or School

  • Mathematics & Statistics

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