I have SEM images, and EDX for some concrete samples with additives. The problem is the EDX did not focus on a point in my images. The EDX give the all element exist in the entire image. So I am asking about how I can characterize the behavior of this additives using SEM, EDX that I have.
If your SEM was performed in backscatter mode, you should have phase contrast such that lighter regions correspond to heavier atomic mass phases, and dark regions correspond to low atomic mass phases. If you know (or at least have a guess) of the compositions of the additives as well as matrix present, you should be able to match each region in the image to each phase you expect to see based on shading alone.
You can use image processing software (like image-j) to quantify how much of each phase is present in the image. You can then sum all the areas and see if that leads to an average elemental profile that you measured using EDX.
If your SEM was not in backscatter mode, you still may be able to identify different phases based on texturing, but this is far less rigorous.
I hope this is helpful. If not, I might be able to give a better answer if you provide an example image.
Dear Abdellatif Elsayed,
I agree with Kyle R. Overdeep, Also without seeing the SEM image and EDX data its very difficult to say the behaviour of additives and phase identifications. With the EDX you have now, cant able to differentiate the elements which comes from additives or aggregate or cement or supplementary cementitious materials,.. etc., if possible you try to do point EDX . I hope this will be useful for your research.
I agree with Kyle R. Overdeep and Ramachandran D. I think you should pay your attention at the ITZ zone.
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