The relationship between manganese ore and solar glass

How does a glass containing manganese and antimony Solarize?

For example, a glass simultaneously containing both manganese and antimony will solarize by the reaction (3) Sb 5+ +2 Mn 2+ →2 Mn 3+ + Sb 3+ once again transforming an initially colorless glass to one with a pink color after exposure to ultraviolet light.

Why is manganese used in glass processing?

Because manganese reacts with iron during glass processing by the redox equation (1) Mn 3+ + Fe 2+ → Mn 2+ + Fe 3+, manganese was often added to the glass batch to adjust the iron redox and provide a glass that was effectively decolorized. However, much of its use was discontinued because the resulting glass was subject to solarization.

Can iron be oxidized during solarization?

If only trace amounts of iron are present in the glass, it may be possible to oxidize all the iron to Fe 3+ during solarization, allowing the manganese then to undergo reaction with the antimony or other fining agent.

Do manganese antimony glasses increase absorbance at 500 nm?

The increase in absorbance at 500 nm in manganese–antimony glasses as a function of time of solarization. The relations are shown for glasses containing varying wt% Mn and a constant 0.75 wt% Sb. Lines are shown as a guide to the eye. Fig. 4. The increase in absorbance at 300 nm in manganese–antimony glasses as a function of time of solarization.