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As subcritical crack growth (SCCG) can reduce tensile strength of glasses by many orders of magni-tude, the potential for improvement of fatigue behaviour is most intriguing in developing ultra-strong glasses. An essential bottleneck is the basic understanding of the numerous interplaying pressure-, temperature- and water-affected relaxation phenomena at the crack tip and related toughening strat-egies. Therefore, the present project aims to advance the basic understanding of structural relaxa-tion effects and local properties caused by increased water concentration and tensile stresses at the crack tip as they are a key for structural toughening designs to develop SCCG-free glasses and glass surfaces.
Our first studies give clear evidence that glass structure and dynamics is strongly modified upon hy-dration of glasses. These changes are highly related to the nature of network formers but are affect-ed as well by the counter ions (network modifier). Results of the 1st project part suggest that struc-tural relaxation below glass transition temperature, i.e. overlapping of short-range (beta) and long-range (alpha) interactions can contribute to SCCG in water-free environments and that structurally dissolved water in the glasses can have decisive impact on this effect.
In the 2nd project stage specific glasses compositions will be investigated to gain an improved un-derstanding on the relation of sub-Tg relaxation and inert SCCG as well as to shed light to the relat-ed effects of dissolved water and its speciation. These glasses cover a broader range of different glass topologies and binding partners, whereby the coupling of alpha and beta relaxations is varied systematically by alkali-, alkaline earth ions and water species concentrations. Preparation of hy-drous glasses (up to 8 wt% water) will be performed by high pressure syntheses. Structure will be resolved by NMR, Raman and IR spectroscopy while structural relaxation is accessed in the temper-ature and frequency domain using dynamic mechanical spectroscopy and ultrasonic damping. We will focus on measurements of inert SCCG (region III) conducting experiments in vacuum and dry gas atmospheres using indentation techniques and stressing of glass specimens in DCB geometry.
Experimental data on SCCG will be provided to SPP groups, which deals with fatigue in metallic glasses and vice versa we will test theoretical predictions of ab-initio simulations of partner within SPP 1594 in order to quantify the effect of water on the crack tip. In summa topological factors con-trolling the subcritical crack growth with respect to water will be identified from which structural toughening designs for highly fatigue resistant-glasses can be derived.
Chemical variability is a main strength of glass. Glass powders are therefore promising candidates for manufacturing a broad diversity of sintered materials like sintered ¬glass-ceramics, glass matrix composites or glass bonded ceramics with tailored mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties and complex shape. Its wide and precise adjustability makes this class of materials, even if it may not be obvious at first sight, a key component of advanced technologies. Manufacture and processing of initial glass powders often allow even more flexibility in materials design. At the same time, however, they can cause additional problems. The lecture illustrates possible consequences of glass powder processing upon glass crystallization and sintering as well as chances for targeted utilization. Simple kinetic models describing the effect of particle size distribution, surface crystallization and rigid inclusions on sintering as well effects of different milling and seeding on sinter crystallization are presented.
Nowadays, the use of bioactive glasses is established for bone regeneration; however glasses are used mostly as powders, granules or in a paste. Sintered scaffolds are not used clinically, because of the inherent problem of crystallization during the sintering process, resulting in poor mechanical properties and reduced bioactivity. Therefore it was the aim to design new bioactive glasses, which combine improved processing and sintering with bioactivity.
Compared with the well-known Bioglass® 45S5 (SiO2-P2O5-CaO-Na2O) the calcium/alkali oxide ratio was increased, sodium oxide was partially replaced by potassium oxide and up to 8 mol% calcium fluoride were added, in order to stabilize the glass against crystallization.
The sintering behavior of the new glasses was characterized by heating microscopy and compared to that of Bioglass® 45S5. Results show that the new glasses achieve a sintered density of 88-99 % in contrast to only 57-67% for Bioglass® 45S5. In addition, FTIR and XRD analyses show that Bioglass® 45S5 crystallizes during sintering while for the new glasses no crystalline phases were detected. The thermal properties of all glasses were studied by DTA and DSC measurements, and the influence of grain size was characterized. These studies showed an increase of sintering temperature and final porosity with increasing particle size. The structure of sintered compacts during and after sintering was examined using light and electron microscopy (SEM).
185 cracks were initiated in a soda-lime-silica glass by Vickers indentation and grown under controlled dry nitrogen atmosphere. Direct observation of subcritical crack growth (SCCG) upon indentation was performed using a video camera with an image acquisition rate of 3 ms. The results show that the validity of K(c) relations used to determine the indentation fracture toughness from a single imprint is questionable. It seems that correlation of crack length to stress intensity necessitate the use of statistical significant data of multiple crack events.
Electric contacts based on silver-glass dispersions are key components in optoelectronic microsystems and control modules for medical, information & communication and energy technology in our networked society. Driven by the complexity of modern production processes and ever shorter time-to-market requirements, the fast and specific development of tailored silver-glass dispersions has become a bottleneck of technology development. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of silver dissolution, transport, and reprecipitation, and the resulting micro structure evolution during firing are poorly understood. The broad literature on the precipitation of colloidal silver particles and the related processes of silver dissolution and diffusion mostly refer to very small volume fractions of silver. Transferring these results to the sintering of glass-containing silver dispersions, is therefore highly questionable. In this case, silver dissolution, electrical contact between silver particles, transport and reprecipitation take place under special conditions. This includes short diffusion lengths (particle size < 10 μm), the presence of three-phase contacts silver - glass - sintering atmosphere, as well as silver reprecipitation at the sintering contacts as the driving force of silver transport. Here, a dynamic balance of the silver concentration can be expected to result from the ratio between silver dissolution and reprecipitation. The aim of the project is to gain basic insight into the mechanisms of dissolution, transport and reprecipitation of silver in sintering silver glass dispersions. In this context, the main focus is on gaining basic knowledge about the dissolution of metallic silver in low melting oxide glasses as the limiting factor of the sintering of silver-glass composites. In particular, we will strive to gain insight into the effect of the oxygen content of the sintering atmosphere, of the oxygen dissolved in the silver particles, of silver oxide on the surface of the silver powder, of the electric contact between the silver particles, as well as the basicity of the glass. Furthermore, we strive for insights into the silver mobility and the silver concentration that can be attained (silver solubility) in oxide glasses with a low melting point. Summing up all these aspects, a closed explanatory model for silver dissolution, transport and reprecipitation during the sintering of glass silver dispersions will be introduced.
Comparison of fluorescence measurements performed on different fluorescence instruments, analyte quantification from fluorescence intensities as well as the determination of fluorescence quantum yields require instrument calibration and consideration of the wavelength-dependent instrument-specific quantities spectral photon flux reaching the sample and spectral responsivity. Here, we present guidelines and recommendations for the qualification of fluorescence instruments and introduce suitable chromophore-based reference materials. Moreover, the design concepts of the different BAM fluorescence standards are discussed.
Development of durable transparent enamel colors for the manufacture of decorate glass panels
(2017)
Today glass is broadly used in modern architecture. For applications indoor it is possible to produce decor glass by using enamel colors and glass painting techniques without any problems. However, this is more limited for applications outdoor. Humidity and environmental pollution attack the surface of the coating and damage it strongly. There are only few colors on the market which are resistant towards acids and bases until now. Additionally, most of those colors are opaque. In order to extend the color palette, chemically resistant colored glasses are being developed which are transparent, relatively low melting and intensively toned even in thin coat thickness. To achieve such ambitious aim, many parameters have to match which act in complex manner. Metal oxides were used to color the glasses. A lead-free glass composition was developed to avoid an exposition of heavy metals to the environment. The glasses were characterized, in particular in terms of their thermal properties, their crystallization behavior and their chemical durability. Different practical applications will be shown.
Fundamental understanding of crack healing in glassy crystalline materials is very important for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) sealants, since cracks caused by sealing or thermal cycling still remain a substantial bottleneck in developing durable SOFC.
Previous studies on soda lime silicate glass [Sin14] showed that crack healing is driven by viscous flow and that healing progress is proportional to time t and inverse viscosity η. This finding would allow to present healing data of a given glass for different temperatures in a master curve healing progress versus t/η. Such master curves would be a helpful tool in understanding crack healing kinetics.
Against this background, crack healing in non-crystallizing sodium calcium silicate (NCS) and sodium borosilicate glasses (NBS) have been studied. Moreover, to evaluate the influence of micro structure in crystallized glass on crack healing process, glass matrix composites (GMC) were prepared from NCS and zirconia as inert ceramic filler material mimicking a partially crystalline micro structure. By this way, the micro structure can be kept constant during crack healing. Cracks were generated by Vickers indention and healed isothermally at different temperatures. Crack healing progress was monitored by optical and electron microscopy. Results show that the above mentioned proportionality actually applies for the studied glasses for which such a master curve could be obtained. In comparison to a non-crystallized glass, the effective viscosity of GMC is increased by the rigid filler content. This effect substantially retards crack broadening during later healing stages, which often ends up in large pores. On the other hand, local viscous crack healing is still possible in larger glassy regions. This behavior seems to be very interesting for crack healing optimized micro structures.
Fundamental understanding of crack healing in glassy crystalline materials is very important for many applications, especially for sealing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) since cracks caused by sealing or thermal cycling still remain a substantial bottleneck in developing durable SOFC.
Previous studies on soda lime silicate glass [Sin14] showed that crack healing is driven by viscous flow and that healing progress is proportional to time t and inverse viscosity η. This finding would allow to present healing data of a given glass for different temperatures in a master curve healing progress versus t/η. Such master curves would be a helpful tool in understanding crack healing kinetics.
Against this background, crack healing in non-crystallizing sodium calcium silicate (NCS) and sodium borosilicate glasses (NBS) have been studied. Moreover, to evaluate the influence of micros structure in crystallized glass on crack healing process, glass matrix composites (GMC) where prepared out of NCS and zirconia as inert ceramic filler material mimicking a partially crystalline micro structure. Cracks were generated by Vickers indention and healed isothermally at different temperatures. Crack healing progress was monitored by optical and electron microscopy. Results show that the above mentioned proportionality actually applies for the studied glasses for which such a master curve could be obtained. In comparison to a non-crystallized glass, the effective viscosity of GMC is increased by rigid filler content. This effect substantially retards crack broadening during later healing stages, which often ends up in large pores. On the other hand, local viscous crack healing is still possible in larger glassy regions. This behavior seems to be very interesting for crack healing optimized sealants.
Today glass is broadly used in modern architecture. For applications indoor it is possible to produce decor glass by using enamel colors and glass painting techniques without any problems. However, this is more limited for applications outdoor. Humidity and environmental pollution attack the surface of the coating and damage it strongly. There are only few colors on the market which are resistant towards acids and bases until now. Additionally, most of those colors are opaque. In order to extend the color palette, chemically resistant colored glasses are being developed which are transparent, relatively low melting and intensively toned even in thin coat thickness. To achieve such ambitious aim, many parameters have to match which act in complex manner. Metal oxides were used to color the glasses. A lead-free glass composition was developed to avoid an exposition of heavy metals to the environment. The glasses were characterized, in particular in terms of their thermal properties, their crystallization and corrosion behavior as well as their chemical and environmental durability. Different practical applications will be shown.
Dissolved water decisively influences numerous thermally activated relaxation phenomena in glasses like stress relaxation, sub-critical crack growth, internal friction, viscosity, sintering, and crystallization. Thermoanalytical methods can essentially help for better understanding of these phenomena. The lecture introduces the Vacuum Hot Extraction method (VHE) and illustrates its possibilities for measuring water content, degassing and mobility. As another thermoanalytical method, the Dynamic Mechanical Themoanalysis (DMA), allowing to study the effect of dissolved water on the internal friction in glasses, is introduced.
Wasser in Silicatglas
(2018)
Glass powders are promising candidates for manufacturing a broad diversity of sintered materials like sintered glass-ceramics, glass matrix composites or glass bonded ceramics with tailored mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties and complex shape. Its wide and precise adjustability makes this class of materials a key component for advanced technologies. Processing of glass or composite powders often allow even more flexibility in materials design. At the same time, however, processing can have substantial effects on the glass powder surface and sinterability. Thus, mechanical damage and surface contamination can strongly enhance surface crystallization, which may retard or even fully prevent densification. Whereas sintering and concurrent crystallization have been widely studied, partially as cooperative effort of the TC7 of the ICG, and although glass powder sintering is predominantly applied for glasses of low crystallization tendency, sintering is also limited by gas bubble formation or foaming. The latter phenomenon is much less understood and can occur even for slow crystallizing glass powders. The lecture illustrates possible consequences of glass powder processing on glass sintering, crystallization and foaming.
Environmental conditions are known to influence sub-critical crack growth (SCCG) that are released from microscopic flaws at the glass surface, leading to stress corrosion phenomena at the crack tip. The processes at the crack-tip are complex and water has been identified as a key component governing SCCG at low crack velocities (region I). In particular, the influence of humidity accelerating crack propagation is well studied for industrial soda-lime silicate glasses, which are practically free (< 1000 ppm) of dissolved water. To shed light on the corrosion process, the situation at the crack-tip is reversed in the present study as dissolved water in larger fractions is present in the glass and crack propagation is triggered in dry environment. For this purpose, water-bearing silicate glasses of up to 8 wt% total water were synthesized in an internally heated pressure vessel at 0.5 GPa and compared to dry glasses of standard glass manufacturing. SCCG was measured using the double cantilever beam technique and by Vickers indentation. For dry glasses, three trends in the crack growth velocity versus stress intensity curve were found. The slope in region I limited by environmental corrosion increases in the order sodium aluminosilicate < sodium borosilicate ≲ sodium lead silicate. The velocity range of region II reflecting the transition between corrosion affected and inert crack growth (region III), varies within one order of magnitude among the glasses. The KI region of inert crack growth strongly scatters between 0.4 and 0.9 MPam1/2. For hydrous glasses, it is found that those of low Tg are more prone to SCCG. As water strongly decreases Tg, it promotes SCCG. First results indicate that molecular water has a dominating influence on SCCG.
Glass powders are promising candidates for manufacturing a broad diversity of sintered materials like sintered glass-ceramics, glass matrix composites or glass bonded ceramics with properties and complex shape. Powder processing, however, can substantially affect sinterability, e.g. by promoting surface crystallization. On the other hand, densification can be hindered by gas bubble formation for slow crystallizing glass powders. Against this background, we studied sintering and foaming of silicate glass powders with different crystallization tendency for wet milling and dry milling in air, Ar, N2, and CO2 by means of heating microscopy, DTA, Vacuum Hot Extraction (VHE), SEM, IR spectroscopy, XPS, and ToF-SIMS. In any case, foaming activity increased significantly with progressive milling. For moderately milled glass powders, subsequent storage in air could also promote foaming. Contrarily, foaming could be substantially reduced by milling in water and 10 wt% HCl. Although all powder compacts were uniaxially pressed and sintered in air, foaming was significantly affected by different milling atmosphere and was found most pronounced for milling in CO2 atmosphere. Conformingly, VHE studies revealed that foaming is mainly driven by carbonaceous species, even for powders milled in other gases. Current results of this study thus indicate that foaming is caused by carbonaceous species trapped on the glass powder surface.
Photoluminescence techniques are amongst the most widely used tools in the life sciences, with new and exciting applications in medical diagnostics and molecular imaging continuously emerging. Advantages include their comparative ease of use, unique sensitivity, non-invasive character, and potential for multiplexing, remote sensing, and miniaturization. General drawbacks are, however, signals, that contain unwanted wavelength- and polarization contributions from instrument-dependent effects, which are also time-dependent due to aging of instrument-components, and difficulties to measure absolute fluorescence intensities. Moreover, scattering samples require special measurement geometries and emerging optical Reporters with emission > 1000 nm strategies for reliable measurements in the second
diagnostic window or short wavelength infrared (SWIR) for the comparison of material performance and the rational design of new fluorophores with improved properties.
Here, we provide a brief overview over different types of fluorescence standards for instrument calibration and performance control. Also, strategies to versatile method-adaptable liquid and solid fluorescence standards for different fluorescence parameters and applications are presented. This includes spectral emission standards for the traceable determination of the wavelengthdependent spectral responsivity (emission correction curve) of fluorescence measuring devices in the UV/vis/NIR, solid multi-emitter systems for daily instrument performance control, and new standards for the relative determination of the fluorescence quantum yield, the key performance parameter of all emitters. The latter standards enable also performance Control of increasingly used integrating sphere setups.
Up to now, oriented surface crystallization phenomena are discussed controversially, and related studies are restricted to few glasses. The vast majority of previous work does not consider possible effects of surface preparation and surrounding atmosphere. Moreover, very few observations of surface crystal orientation were made on separately grown crystals.
The aim of our project is to advance the basic understanding of oriented surface crystallization, e.g. whether preferred orientation of surface crystals results from oriented nucleation or reorientation mechanisms during early crystal growth. In both cases, crystal orientation may reflect the orientation of the glass surface or that of anisotropic active surface nucleation sites. Therefore, we focus on orientation of surface crystals separately growing under controlled conditions.
First results on diopside (MgCaSi2O6) and walstromite (BaCa2Si3O9) crystals growing from 18BaO·22CaO·60SiO2 and MgO·CaO·2SiO2 glass surfaces, respectively, indicate that different orientation mechanisms may occur.
Neighbored walstromite crystals were found to gradually reorient themselves when they are going to impinge each other during stepwise isothermal treatments (log η = 4,5 Pa*s) of polished glass samples. Nevertheless, no preferred crystal orientation was evident for separate crystals.
For diopside crystals growing from polished glass surfaces (1 μm diamond lapping foil), strong preferred orientation was observed for 3.5 to 85 min annealing at 850 °C. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) studies showed that the c-axis of surface crystals is oriented parallel to the glass surface and that separated diopside crystals as small as 600 nm are already oriented. Studies on glass surfaces, polished with diamond lapping foils starting from 16 μm down to 1 μm grain, revealed that crystal orientation may scatter arround this preferential orientation and that this scatter progressively decreases with decreasing polishing grain size.
Glass
(2019)
Overview about the key activities of division 5.6 glass and the diversity of the material glass. For the vacuum hot extraction method (VHE-MS) some examples are presented e. g. for the measurement of water content or the determination of diffusion coefficient of hydrogen in glasses. Finally, an outlook is shown on the robot controlled glass screening device which will be available next year.
Glass powders are promising candidates for manufacturing a broad diversity of sintered materials like sintered ¬glass-ceramics, glass matrix composites or glass bonded ceramics with tailored mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties and complex shape. Its wide and precise adjustability makes this class of materials a key component for advanced technologies. Processing of glass or composite powders often allow even more flexibility in materials design. At the same time, however, processing can have substantial effects on the glass powder surface and sinterability. Thus, mechanical damage and surface contamination can strongly enhance surface crystallization, which may retard or even fully prevent densification. Whereas sintering and concurrent crystallization have been widely studied, partially as cooperative effort of the TC7 of the ICG, and although glass powder sintering is predominantly applied for glasses of low crystallization tendency, sintering is also limited by gas bubble formation or foaming. The latter phenomenon is much less understood and can occur even for slow crystallizing glass powders. The lecture illustrates possible consequences of glass powder processing on glass sintering, crystallization and foaming.
Environmental conditions are known to influence sub-critical crack growth (SCCG) that starts from microscopic flaws at the glass surface, leading to stress corrosion phenomena at the crack tip. The processes at the crack tip are complex and water has been identified as a key component governing SCCG at low crack velocities (region I). In particular, the influence of humidity accelerating crack propagation is well studied for dry industrial soda-lime silicate glasses (< 1000 ppm water). To shed light on this influence, the effect of water is mimicked by studying SCCG in water-bearing glasses. For this purpose, water-bearing silicate glasses of up to 8 wt% total water were synthesized in an internally heated pressure vessel at 0.5 GPa and compared to dry glasses. SCCG was measured using the double cantilever beam technique. For dry glasses, three trends in the crack growth velocity versus stress intensity, KI, curve were found. The slope in region I, limited by environmental corrosion, increases in the order soda-lime silicate < sodium borosilicate < barium calcium silicate < sodium zinc silicate < sodium aluminosilicate glass. The velocity range of region II, reflecting the transition between corrosion affected and inert crack growth (region III), varies within one order of magnitude among these glasses. The KI region of inert crack growth strongly scatters between 0.4 and 0.9 MPam1/2. For hydrous glasses, it is found that water strongly decreases Tg, form a new sub-Tg relaxation peak caused by molecular water, and makes the glasses more prone to SCCG. The observed trends will be discussed in terms of the effects of Youngs Modulus on strain energy release rate and energy dissipation related to glass relaxation phenomena.
Overview about the surface initiated microstructure formation in glass surfaces. Samples which are exposed to a temperature treatment, can develop a crystalline microstructure above Tg at the surface. These separated crystals can be preferably oriented towards the surface of the sample. First experiments about the origin of these orientation phenomenon as well as the potentially causing mechanisms are presented and discussed within the presentation.
A summery of previous research regarding surface crystallization is given as well as results regarding thecurrent DFG project are presented.
For centuries, churches, secular buildings and museums have been furnished with valuable works of art. Many works of art are UV- and light-sensitive. It is well known that especially UV radiation causes damage and discoloration in paintings, textiles, plastics, wood and other materials. In particular, the wavelengths between 280 and 410 nm cause color changes, embrittlement or destruction of e.g. plastics over time. Therefore, strongly UV-absorbing glasses are advantageous for architecture and are necessary for the protection of cultural assets. As restorers in all disciplines become more and more aware, the demands placed on buildings and their furnishings in terms of climate are becoming increasingly detailed and precise. The aim in each case is to preserve the valuable artwork.
For some years now, the industry has been offering the protection of cultural objects by installing special UV-protective glasses. Currently, UV protection for church buildings is realized by laminated safety glass equipped with appropriate UV-protective plastic films. Technically, this always means a second pane of glass in front of the windows, which is installed outside the building. This creates climatic gaps that are difficult to control and deterioration due to ageing effects can be expected. At the same time, this protective glazing is not invisible and has a considerable aesthetic influence on the interior and exterior appearance of the building. Meanwhile, the preservation of historical monuments accepts such aesthetic cuts on buildings in order to protect the artwork in the interior from UV light. To this day, however, the long-term durability of UV protection provided by inserted plastic films is still controversial.
To date the only available alternative on the market is a mouth-blown UV protection glass which uses a so-called overlay to provide UV protection. This shows that UV protection can also be achieved by glasses without plastic films thus realizing an exclusive inorganic protection which normally is more stable than a polymeric one. So far there are not enough studies to prove long-term durability.
The aim of this project is to provide existing glazing or new glazing to be created with a highly transparent layer that ensures this UV-protective filter function below 400 nm. The glass coating is to be applied to the glass over a large area and fired into the surface like a classic ceramic enamel paint with the same technics. In addition, it should be long-term durable in its function. It means, that the glass has to be fused at temperatures below 630 °C during the firing process, its chemical durability has to be high, its coefficient of thermal expansion has to be as close as the one of the substrate (usually float glass) and the glass has to absorb the UV-radiation within a thin thickness (thinner as 100 µm).
In this project, the long-term durability of commercial UV-protective glasses is examined. New low melting glasses containing UV-absorbing ions are being developed. Their UV-absorption as a thin layer is analyzed as well as their chemical durability and their thermal properties.
We are grateful to BMWI for the financial support in the frame of the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM).
Up to now, oriented surface crystallization phenomena are discussed controversially, and related studies are restricted to few glasses. For silicate glasses we found a good correlation between the calculated surface energy of crystal faces and oriented surface nucleation. Surface energies were estimated assuming that crystal surfaces resemble minimum energy crack paths along the given crystal plane. This concept was successfully applied by Rouxel in calculating fracture surface energies of glasses. Several oriented nucleation phenomena can be herby explained assuming that high energy crystal surfaces tend to be wetted by the melt. This would minimize the total interfacial energy of the nucleus. Furthermore, we will discuss the evolution of the microstructure and its effect on the preferred crystal orientation.
Liquid phase sintering of glass bearing silver pastes used in photovoltaics and microelectronics is poorly understood. In particular, the role of different network modifiers acting in the glass component and the question of the most suitable atmospheric oxygen level during sintering are still under considerable debate. To tackle these issues, low-melting and lead-free X2O-ZnO-B2O3 glasses with X = Li, Na, K and Rb (LZB, NZB, KZB and RZB) were prepared. Infrared spectroscopy showed that the glass structure was similar to each other, while an increase of tetrahedrally coordinated boron with increasing field strength of the alkali was evident. In turn, the glass transition temperature (from differential thermal analysis) increased in the order: RZB (449 °C) < KZB (460 °C) < NZB (465 °C) < LZB (472 °C). Powders of each glass were mixed with organics to receive silver-glass-pastes containing 30 vol% glass and these were subjected to heating microscopy in air. Although similar onset temperatures of sintering were recorded for Ag-NZB and Ag-LZB glass pastes, and for Ag-RZB paste and KZB-Ag-paste, respectively, differences in the crystallization behavior and final densification were observed between the former and the latter group. These were translated in terms of differences in silver dissolution and reprecipitation among the two groups. Further, running the experiments in nitrogen gas showed that sintering of all pastes was considerably hampered. The slow-down of the sinter kinetics was found to be in line with the assumed lower oxidation and dissolution of silver ions into the glass-forming liquid.