Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-lvwk9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-11T17:45:15.625Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

ESEM-EDS Investigation of the Weathering of a Heritage Sydney Sandstone

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 December 2010

Kin Hong Ip
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Forensic Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007, Australia
Barbara Stuart*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Forensic Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007, Australia
Abhi Ray
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Forensic Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007, Australia
Paul Thomas
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Forensic Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007, Australia
*
Corresponding author. E-mail: Barbara.Stuart@uts.edu.au
Get access

Abstract

The degradation of Sydney sandstone used to build the heritage St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia, has been investigated using environmental scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This technique provided the structural details of the cementing clay and an elemental characterization the sandstone. The observed differences in the elemental composition of the unweathered and weathered sandstones were associated with changes to the clay microstructure upon weathering. The results support the substitution theory that Fe3+ replaces Al3+ in the kaolinite clay component upon weathering. An examination of the impurities present prior to a nonstructural iron removal treatment revealed the presence of minerals that may provide a source of the elements responsible for the substitution process.

Type
Material Applications
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Asmatulu, R. (2002). Removal of the discolouring contaminants of an East Georgia kaolin clay and its dewatering. Turkish J Eng Environ Sci 26, 447453.Google Scholar
Bell, E., Dowding, P. & Cooper, T.P. (1996). Black crusts formed during two different pollution regimes. In Processes of Urban Stone Decay: Proceedings of SWAPNET '95, Stone Weathering and Atmospheric Pollution Network Conference, Smith, B.J. & Warke, P.A. (Eds.), pp. 4752. London: Donhead.Google Scholar
Carroll, D. (1970). Clay Minerals: A Guide to Their X-Ray Identification. Boulder, CO: Geological Society of America.Google Scholar
Farmer, V.C., Russell, J.D., McHardy, W.J., Newman, A.C.D., Ahlrichs, J.L. & Rimsaite, J.Y.H. (1971). Evidence for loss of protons and octahedral iron from oxidised biotites and vermiculites. Mineral Mag 38, 121137.Google Scholar
Friolo, K.H., Ray, A.S., Stuart, B.H. & Thomas, P.S. (2004). Degradation of historic sandstone buildings of Sydney. In Proceedings of the 7th Australasian Masonry Conference, Masia, M. (Ed.), pp. 420427. Newcastle, Australia: University of Newcastle.Google Scholar
Friolo, K.H., Ray, A.S., Stuart, B.H. & Thomas, P.S. (2005a). Thermal analysis of heritage stones. J Therm Anal Cal 80, 559563.Google Scholar
Friolo, K.H., Ray, A.S., Stuart, B.H. & Thomas, P.S. (2005b). Investigation of the degradation of sandstones in Sydney's heritage buildings. In Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions: Possibilities of Numerical and Experimental Techniques, 1, Modena, C., Lourenco, P.B. & Roca, P. (Eds.), pp. 239244. London: Taylor and Francis.Google Scholar
Friolo, K.H., Stuart, B.H. & Ray, A. (2003). Characterisation of weathering of Sydney sandstones in heritage buildings. J Cult Her 4, 211220.Google Scholar
Hall, P.L. (1980). The application of electron spin resonance spectroscopy to studies of clay minerals: I. Isomorphous substitutions and external surface properties. Clay Mineral 15, 321335.Google Scholar
Hassan, M.S. & Salem, S.M. (2002). Distribution and influence of iron phases on the physico-chemical properties of phyllosilicates. Chinese J Geochem 21, 2939.Google Scholar
Hinckley, D. (1963). Variability in crystallinity values among the kaolin deposits of the coastal plain of Georgia and South Carolina. Clay Clay Miner 2, 229235.Google Scholar
Ip, K.H., Stuart, B.H., Ray, A.S. & Thomas, P.S. (2008a). A spectroscopic investigation of the weathering of a heritage Sydney sandstone. Spectrochim Acta A 71, 10321035.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ip, K.H., Stuart, B.H., Thomas, P.S. & Ray, A.S. (2008b). Thermal characterisation of the clay binder in heritage Sydney sandstones. J Therm Anal Cal 92, 97100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Komusinski, J., Stoch, L. & Dubiel, S.M. (1981). Application of electron paramagnetic resonance and Mössbauer spectroscopy in the investigation of kaolinite-group minerals. Clay Clay Miner 29, 2330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Malden, P.J. & Meads, R.E. (1967). Substitution by iron in kaolinite. Nature 215, 844846.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maynard, R.N., Millman, N. & Iannicelli, J. (1969). A method for removing titanium dioxide impurities from kaolin. Clay Clay Miner 17, 5962.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McBride, M.B., Pinnavaia, T.J. & Mortland, M.M. (1975). Perturbation of structural Fe3+ in smectites by exchange ions. Clay Clay Miner 23, 103107.Google Scholar
McNally, G.H. & Franklin, B.J. (2000). Sandstone City—Sydney's Dimension Stone and Other Sandstone Geomaterials. Sydney: Geological Society of Australia.Google Scholar
Meads, R.E. & Malden, P.J. (1975). Electron spin resonance in natural kaolinites containing Fe3+ and other transition metal ions. Clay Miner 10, 313345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mehra, O.P. & Jackson, M.L. (1960). Iron oxides removal from soils and clays by dithionite-citrate system buffered with sodium bicarbonate. Clay Clay Miner 7, 317327.Google Scholar
Mestdagh, M.M., Vielvoye, L. & Herbillon, A.J. (1980). Iron in kaolinite: II. The relationship between kaolinite crystallinity and iron content. Clay Miner 15, 113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murray, H.H. (1995). Clays in industry and the environment. In Proceedings of the 10th International Clays Conference, Churchman, G.J., Fitzpatrick, R.W. & Eggleton, R.A. (Eds.), pp. 4955. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing.Google Scholar
Petit, S. & Decarreau, A. (1990). Hydrothermal (200°C) synthesis and crystal chemistry of iron-rich kaolinites. Clay Miner 25, 181196.Google Scholar
Roscoe, R., Buurman, P. & Velthorst, E.J. (2000). Disruption of soil aggregates by varied amounts of ultrasonic energy in fractionation of organic matter of a clay latosol: Carbon, nitrogen and δ13C distribution in particle-size fractions. Eur J Soil Sci 51, 445454.Google Scholar
Rozenson, I. & Heller-Kallai, L. (1977). Mössbauer spectra of dioctahedral smectites. Clay Clay Miner 25, 94101.Google Scholar
Rutledge, E.M., Wilding, L.P. & Elfield, M. (1967). Automated particle-size separation by sedimentation. Proc Soil Sci Soc Amer 31, 287288.Google Scholar
Schmidt, M.W., Rumpel, C. & Kogel-Knabner, I. (1999). Evaluation of an ultrasonic dispersion procedure to isolate primary organomineral complexes from soils. Eur J Soil Sci 50, 8794.Google Scholar
Weaver, C.E. (1968). Electron microprobe study of kaolin. Clay Clay Miner 16, 187189.Google Scholar