Chemical evolution of alkali–silicate reaction (ASR) products: a Raman spectroscopic investigation

The objective of this study was to use Raman spectroscopy to study the morphology and chemical changes of alkali–silicate reaction (ASR) products over time. The reaction products induced by ASR on soda-lime glass slides in a high temperature alkaline environment (1 N NaOH at 80 °C) enriched with calcium hydroxide were studied at 0, 1, 4, 7, 14 and 28 days. The results show that the morphology of the granular-like and fan-like fascicles structure that formed at early ages was more ordered in terms of polymerization and dominated by Q³ and Q² units. This information implies that the ASR products were probably of mainly alkali silica composition with low content of calcium in the structure. As the reaction proceeded the products depolymerized, forming a cloud-like morphology of decreased structural order which surrounded the initial product particles. It can be hypothesized that more calcium ions in the soak solution entered into the particle structure, promoting a depolymerization and possible formation of a C–S–H phase which was indicated by the dominant presence of Q¹ units after 7 days of exposure. To corroborate the interpretation of Raman spectra, 28-day ASR products were verified by Fourier transform infrared.