Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
A suite of three fly ashes, National Bureau of Standards* Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) 2689, 2690 and 2691, was studied by transmission electron microscopy and by analytical electron microscopy (aem): sample preparation techniques are described. The chemical compositions of the glassy phase, analyzed by aem, showed a wide dispersion of values although the mean composition of the glass remained close to that of the whole fly ash.
The microstructure of these materials is complex: besides crystalline inclusions, the aluminasilica glasses have undergone phase separation on a nanometer scale, and consist of two glassy phases. Since liquid-liquid phase separation has also been found in British fly ashes, it appears to be a characteristic feature of the glassy phase in Class F ashes and is also encountered in occasional Al-Si rich particles in Class C ashes. High iron content glass was found in fly ash SRM 2689, and its phase separation and crystallization were investigated.