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Microscopy and microanalysis of inorganic polymer cements. 1: remnant fly ash particles

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Abstract

Accurate and precise electron microscopic analysis of the remnant solid precursor (fly ash and blast furnace slag) particles embedded in an inorganic polymer cement (or “fly ash geopolymer”) provides critical information regarding the process of gel binder formation. Differential solubility of phases in the fly ash is seen to be important, with insoluble mullite crystals becoming exposed by the retreat of the surrounding glassy phases. High-iron particles appear to remain largely unreacted, and the use of sectioned and polished specimens provides a view of the inside of these particles, which can show a wide variety of phase separation morphologies and degrees of intermixing of high iron and other phases. Calcium appears to be active in the process of alkali activation of ash/slag blends, although the competitive and/or synergistic effects of ash and slag particles during the reaction process remain to be understood in detail.

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Acknowledgements

Partial financial support for this work was provided by the Australian Research Council (ARC), through Discovery Project grants awarded to J.S.J. van Deventer and through the Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, a Special Research Centre of the ARC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    Redmond R. Lloyd, John L. Provis & Jannie S. J. van Deventer

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  1. Redmond R. Lloyd
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  2. John L. Provis
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  3. Jannie S. J. van Deventer
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Correspondence to John L. Provis.

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Lloyd, R.R., Provis, J.L. & van Deventer, J.S.J. Microscopy and microanalysis of inorganic polymer cements. 1: remnant fly ash particles. J Mater Sci 44, 608–619 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-008-3077-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-008-3077-0

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