Re: ATM Is micro facetting enough?

["Mark D. Holm" <mdholm@telerama.com>]

Anthony Stillman wrote:

>Detergent drives the pH basic.  The increase in pH is what makes the
>polishing more efficient.

Not all detergents are basic, and detergents have other fairly profound surface chemistry
effects.  If somebody wants to try the experiment, it is easy to drive pH up moderately
with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), a very mild base, or washing soda (sodium
carbonate) a somewhat stronger base.  Both can be found in a supermarket.  Using the
sodium salts alone would remove the other effects of detergent from the experiment.

I know the full time glass pushers worked this out long ago, but I don't know the
results.  Is the effect of base supposed to be related more to the polishing agent, or to
chemical attack on the glass aiding the polishing action?

Mark Holm
mdholm@telerama.com