Monte Carlo strategy for SEM-EDS micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer composites
The development, optimization and application of new geopolymer composite materials must necessarily go through a precise and accurate physico-chemical and mineralogical characterization down to the micro and nanoscale. In this regard, SEM-EDS X-ray microanalysis is widely and successfully employed...
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doaj-29d02bf2001d41148f3bae8ab7e4d78e2021-09-11T04:30:45ZengElsevierComposites Part C: Open Access2666-68202021-10-016100183Monte Carlo strategy for SEM-EDS micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer compositesDaniele Moro0Gianfranco Ulian1Giovanni Valdrè2Centro di Ricerca Interdisciplinare di Biomineralogia, Cristallografia e Biomateriali, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna “Alma Mater Studiorum”, Piazza P. San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, ItalyCentro di Ricerca Interdisciplinare di Biomineralogia, Cristallografia e Biomateriali, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna “Alma Mater Studiorum”, Piazza P. San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, ItalyCorresponding author.; Centro di Ricerca Interdisciplinare di Biomineralogia, Cristallografia e Biomateriali, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna “Alma Mater Studiorum”, Piazza P. San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, ItalyThe development, optimization and application of new geopolymer composite materials must necessarily go through a precise and accurate physico-chemical and mineralogical characterization down to the micro and nanoscale. In this regard, SEM-EDS X-ray microanalysis is widely and successfully employed by the scientific community and industry. However, the nano-to-micrometre sized architecture of many geopolymer composites introduces many difficulties and issues in SEM-EDS quantification, with potential large sources of error that should carefully be taken into account and investigated. In this work, a SEM-EDS Monte Carlo approach is proposed to study the complex physical phenomena at the basis of the quantification issues and errors, through the investigation of: (i) a not completely reacted sodium-poly(sialate-siloxo) geopolymer, and (ii) a geopolymer composite with a potassium-poly(sialate-siloxo) matrix and basalt-derived glass fibres reinforcement. The Monte Carlo simulation evinced a strong influence of the nano-microsized specimen architecture (e.g., basalt fibre size and shape, different elemental composition between fibre and matrix) on the measured X-ray intensity, with contributions also depending on the SEM electron beam energy. The proposed approach provided fundamental indications for selecting optimal operative conditions depending on the type of geopolymer sample, shape, size with the specific SEM-EDS setup and silicon drift EDS detector here used.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682021000785NanocompositesGeopolymersMonte Carlo methodSEM-EDS X-ray nanoanalysis |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Daniele Moro Gianfranco Ulian Giovanni Valdrè |
spellingShingle |
Daniele Moro Gianfranco Ulian Giovanni Valdrè Monte Carlo strategy for SEM-EDS micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer composites Composites Part C: Open Access Nanocomposites Geopolymers Monte Carlo method SEM-EDS X-ray nanoanalysis |
author_facet |
Daniele Moro Gianfranco Ulian Giovanni Valdrè |
author_sort |
Daniele Moro |
title |
Monte Carlo strategy for SEM-EDS micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer composites |
title_short |
Monte Carlo strategy for SEM-EDS micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer composites |
title_full |
Monte Carlo strategy for SEM-EDS micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer composites |
title_fullStr |
Monte Carlo strategy for SEM-EDS micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer composites |
title_full_unstemmed |
Monte Carlo strategy for SEM-EDS micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer composites |
title_sort |
monte carlo strategy for sem-eds micro-nanoanalysis of geopolymer composites |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Composites Part C: Open Access |
issn |
2666-6820 |
publishDate |
2021-10-01 |
description |
The development, optimization and application of new geopolymer composite materials must necessarily go through a precise and accurate physico-chemical and mineralogical characterization down to the micro and nanoscale. In this regard, SEM-EDS X-ray microanalysis is widely and successfully employed by the scientific community and industry. However, the nano-to-micrometre sized architecture of many geopolymer composites introduces many difficulties and issues in SEM-EDS quantification, with potential large sources of error that should carefully be taken into account and investigated. In this work, a SEM-EDS Monte Carlo approach is proposed to study the complex physical phenomena at the basis of the quantification issues and errors, through the investigation of: (i) a not completely reacted sodium-poly(sialate-siloxo) geopolymer, and (ii) a geopolymer composite with a potassium-poly(sialate-siloxo) matrix and basalt-derived glass fibres reinforcement. The Monte Carlo simulation evinced a strong influence of the nano-microsized specimen architecture (e.g., basalt fibre size and shape, different elemental composition between fibre and matrix) on the measured X-ray intensity, with contributions also depending on the SEM electron beam energy. The proposed approach provided fundamental indications for selecting optimal operative conditions depending on the type of geopolymer sample, shape, size with the specific SEM-EDS setup and silicon drift EDS detector here used. |
topic |
Nanocomposites Geopolymers Monte Carlo method SEM-EDS X-ray nanoanalysis |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682021000785 |
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