Abstract
A new scanning electron microscope technique termed charge contrast imaging (CCI), unique to the Environmental SEM, has been developed at the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis. The technique enables the growth history of gibbsite particles from the Bayer process to be studied. The technique is used on uncoated polished sections. The seed gibbsite is clearly distinguished from freshly precipitated gibbsite enabling information on agglomeration and growth to be unambiguously obtained. Growth rings associated with each pass through precipitation are readily observed which enables the complete growth history of a particle to be ascertained; for example batch and continuously grown gibbsites can be distinguished. Growth of gibbsite on different crystal faces can be directly measured and the presence of secondary nucleation detected. The data obtained via this technique have been confirmed using specially prepared laboratory samples. The technique is now finding wider application in areas such as medicine (examination of kidney stones), mineralogy and ceramics.
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Keywords
- Growth Ring
- Light Metal
- Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope
- Prismatic Crystal
- Secondary Nucleation
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
References
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© 2016 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
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Roach, G.I.D., Cornell, J.B., Griffin, B.J. (2016). Gibbsite Growth History — Revelations of a New Scanning Electron Microscope Technique. In: Donaldson, D., Raahauge, B.E. (eds) Essential Readings in Light Metals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48176-0_71
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48176-0_71
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48574-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-48176-0
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