X-ray microscopy

The X-ray microscope at beamline 6.1 at Advanced Light Source, operated by the Center for X-Ray Optics, at the Ernest O. Lawrence Laboratory in Berkeley, CA is the instrument used in this investigation. The instrument is unique in that samples can be observed wet, over time, allowing the reaction to proceed.
The following studies are being conducted:

Alkali-Silica Reaction

(a) X-ray image of dry, ground ASR gel from FURNAS dam, Brazil. (b) X-ray image of ASR gel in saturated Ca(OH)2 solution after 30 minutes. (c) X-ray image of ASR gel in saturated Ca(OH)2 solution after 30 minutes. (d) X-ray image of ASR gel in saturated Ca(OH)2 solution after 2 hours. (e) X-ray image of ASR gel in saturated Ca(OH)2 + 0.01M NaOH solution. (f) X-ray image of ASR gel in 0.05M NaOH solution after 1 hour.
[from Imaging of ASR Gel by Soft X-ray Microscopy with K.E. Kurtis, P.J.M. Monteiro J. Brown, and W. Meyer-Ilse), CCR journal V28 N3:411-421, (1998).]

Effect of chemical admixtures on the hydration of cements (to Michelline)

Hydration of Calcium Aluminate Cements