Comparative estimates of the strength of dry and wet quartz in grinding

A physicochemical description of the fracture process of wet quartz is given for the case where a proton or atomic hydrogen actively interacts with the broken bonds at the tip of a crack, and hydroxyl groups are collected in the crack because of the low reaction rate, thus fixing the opening of the crack. The decrease in the brittle strength of wet quartz compared to dry quartz is estimated quantitatively with allowance for comparative criteria of brittle strength.