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The influence of a changing glass topology on local mechanical properties was studied in a multitechnique nanomechanical approach. The glass response against sharp contacts can result in structural densification, plastic flow, or crack initiation. By using instrumented indentation testing, the mechanical response was studied in different strain rate regimes for a sodium borosilicate glass (NBS) exhibiting altering structures due to varying processing conditions. Comparison with data from former studies and with literature data on other glass structures helped to elucidate the role of the borate and silicate subnetworks and to understand the overall mechanical properties of the mixed glass systems. A peculiarity of some of the NBS glasses tested in this study is the fact that the connectivity of the borate and silicate entities depends on the sample’s thermal history. Although the influence on macroscopic material properties such as E and H is minor, the onset of cracking indeed is influenced by those structural changes within the glass. Rapidly quenched glass shows an improved crack resistance, which is even more pronounced at high strain rates. Studies on various processing conditions further indicate that this transition is closely related to the cooling rate around Tg. The strain rate dependence of cracking is discussed in terms of the occurrence of shear deformation and densification.

This article is part of the Research Topic: Ultrastrong Glasses: Improving Mechanical Properties of Disordered Solids through Topo-Chemical Engineering