Micro-Raman and Raman Imaging studies of glassy material produced by continuous wave (CW) CO2 laser irradiation of lime/pozzolan mortar

ICCC 2015, Beijing, China, 13~16 October 2015; http://iccc2015.csp.escience.cn/dct/page/1This work describes the distribution of the portlandite over the surface of the lime/pozzolan mortar and the mineral composition of the glassy material formed when the mortar was irradiated with continuous-wave-CO2 (CW-CO2) laser. Both Micro-Raman and Raman mapping have been used for structural studies. Lime/pozzolan/sand 1/1/2 mortars, 5 years at room temperature, were irradiated with CW-CO2 laser (Synrad Firestar t80, Mukilteo, WA) operating at a wavelength of 10.591 ¿m, 10P(20) CO2 laser line. Laser output: 8W, 18W and 38W (Synrad PW-250 (Mukilteo, WA)). The laser beam was focused by means of a NaCl lens of 10 cm focal length and the irradiation time was 5 seconds. Raman spectra were collected with a Raman Spectrometer (Renishaw Invia) equipped with a CCD camera, using 532 nm (Nd:YAG) excitation line. The laser on the sample was 5 mW and the integration time was 10 seconds. For mapping measurements, an area of 80 ¿m x 80 ¿m was chosen in the internal part of the glass. The step size was 5 ¿m with an individual grid size of 25 ¿m2. Glazing, vaporization and spalling process can produce over an irradiated surface with a high power laser beam. When the power density of the irradiating laser beam is high enough to raise the temperature beyond the glass transition, a glassy surface layer is formed. However, if surface temperatures are below that melting point, the vaporization of water can be produce over the material surface. Due to the small diffusivity of water vapour, its transport is hindered and an overpressure is attained. Hydraulic building materials have about 4-10% bounded water, after irradiation with the CW-CO2 laser, water vapour spread out in a vaporization front reacting with the CaO present in the sample and producing Ca(OH)2, besides a glassy surface.Peer Reviewe