Kinetic model and effect of surface impurities on the crack healing of BK7 glass

Abstract When BK7 glass material is heated under appropriate conditions, surface cracks heal spontaneously under the action of viscous flow and capillary forces. In this paper, based on the theories of viscous fluid and capillary flow, a kinetic model for crack healing is established. A series of thermal healing experiments with different parameters are conducted on Vickers indentation radial cracks on BK7 glass, and the effects of surface impurities, heating temperature, crack size, and ambient humidity are studied. The results show that the surface impurities and humidity can promote crack healing. Upon combining the experimental results and relevant theories, the initial kinetic model is modified to accurately predict the healing process of the BK7 glass and describe the relationships among the crack healing length and these factors. In addition, the proposed model can be used for the healing of other materials with the mechanism of viscous capillary flow.