High-resolution Nanoprobe X-ray fluorescence characterization of heterogeneous calcium and heavy metal distributions in alkali-activated fly ash

The nanoscale distribution of elements within fly ash and the aluminosilicate gel products of its alkaline activation (“fly ash geopolymers”) are analyzed by means of synchrotron X-ray fluorescence using a hard X-ray Nanoprobe instrument. The distribution of calcium within a hydroxide-activated (fly ash/KOH solution) geopolymer gel is seen to be highly heterogeneous, with these data providing for the first time direct evidence of the formation of discrete high-calcium particles within the binder structure of a geopolymer synthesized from a low-calcium (<2 wt % as oxides) fly ash. The silicate-activated (fly ash/potassium silicate solution) sample, by contrast, shows a much more homogeneous geopolymer gel binder structure surrounding the unreacted fly ash particles. This has important implications for the understanding of calcium chemistry within aluminosilicate geopolymer gel phases. Additionally, chromium and iron are seen to be very closely correlated within the structures of both fly ash and the geopolymer product and remain within the regions of the geopolymer which can be identified as unreacted fly ash particles. Given that the potential for chromium release has been one of the queries surrounding the widespread utilization of construction materials derived from fly ash, the observation that this element appears to be localized within the fly ash rather than dispersed throughout the gel binder indicates that it is unlikely to be released problematically into the environment.