Assessing the potential of ToF-SIMS as a complementary approach to investigate cement-based materials — Applications related to alkali–silica reaction
- Laboratory for Nanoscale Materials Science, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science and Technology, Ueberlandstr. 129, 8600 Duebendorf (Switzerland)
- Laboratory for Concrete/Construction Chemistry, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science and Technology, Ueberlandstr. 129, 8600 Duebendorf (Switzerland)
In this study, the potential of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) for the application in cement-based materials is assessed in combination and comparison with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Mortar, concrete and samples from model systems providing products formed by the alkali–silica reaction (ASR) were studied. ToF-SIMS provides qualitative data on alkalis in cases where EDX reaches its limits in regard to detectable concentration, lateral resolution and atomic number of the elements. Due to its high in-depth resolution of a few atomic monolayers, thin layers of reaction products can be detected on the surfaces and chemically analyzed with ToF-SIMS. Additionally, it delivers information on the molecular conformation within the ASR product, its hydrogen content and its isotope ratios, information not provided by EDX. Provided the samples are carefully prepared, ToF-SIMS opens up new possibilities in the analysis of cement-based materials.
- OSTI ID:
- 22475488
- Journal Information:
- Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 68; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0008-8846
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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