Segmentation of pores within concrete-epoxy interface using synchronous chemical composition mapping and backscattered electron imaging

Abstract: The method of assessing porosity using images from scanning electron microscopy is ineffective in situations where the substrate and the coating have a significantly different average atomic number, which results in a different contrast of backscattered electrons. For this reason, the analyzes carried out to date were usually based on the manual distinction of important microstructure elements, which was followed by selective thresholding. However, this method depends on the subjective action of the researcher, and may result in errors that are difficult to estimate. The presented method is based on the simultaneous collection of both the image of backscattered electrons and elemental maps obtained using an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer. Multivariate comparative analysis of the matrix was used to characterize a technique of distinguishing epoxy resin from a hydrated cement-based substrate. The proposed algorithm significantly facilitates the detection of individual interface components, and also makes comparative analyzes repeatable and reliable.