Fibre-Reinforced Geopolymer Composites Micro-Nanochemistry by SEM-EDS Simulations

The focus of the present study is on fibre-reinforced geopolymer composites, whose optimization and application necessarily need a detailed chemical characterization at micro-nanoscale. In this regard, many composites presenting micro nanometric architectures pose challenge for scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDS) quantification, because several potential sources errors. For reason, work reports SEM-EDS Monte Carlo approach to carefully investigate complex physical phenomena related cited quantification model used theoretical analysis simplified basalt-derived glass fibres immersed in potassium-poly(sialate-siloxo) matrix. simulated spectra showed strong influence measured intensity (i) sample nano-to-micro architecture, (ii) beam probing (iii) probe-sample-EDS detector relative position. results that, compared bulk material, nano-micrometric sized specimen may give rise underestimation and/or overestimation elemental composition sample. proposed indicated optimal instrumental setup depending specific equipment here considered.