Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for the characterization of Iraqi cement

Abstract

In this study, qualitative and quantitative values of different Iraqi cements have been estimated using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), which provides a sensitive elemental analysis based on the measurement of plasma lines that generated after laser interaction at a sample. A passively Q- switched Nd: YAG laser operating at wavelength of 1064 nm, energy of 100 mJ, and pulses of 9 ns pulse width was applied as a radiation source. In addition, Iraqi Portland cement samples produced in Kufa and Mass factories have been examined using EDX for determination of major and minor elements concentration such as Ca, Si, Al ,Fe and Mg. LIBS spectra of different samples were recorded from (320 - 740) nm spectral range. The line intensities of these elements are identified and marked, the possibility to carry out a quantitative analysis using the LIBS technique was checked through the comparison the obtained result with related EDX data. For quantitative measurements, the concentrations of different elements in the cement are estimated by construction calibration curves and analysis signals of high purity standard samples as a first researchers work on it as our best knowledge.