In situ high-temperature synchrotron powder diffraction study of the thermal decomposition of cement-asbestos

Time-resolved synchrotron powder diffraction was used to follow the thermal transformation of cement-asbestos. Thermal transformation of asbestos fibers into nonfibrous crystalline phases is a promising solution for the elimination of these hazardous minerals. Time resolution offered by the use of an imaging plate detector with a high-brightness X-ray source allowed for the observation of metastable phases, commonly not detectable with conventional instrumentation. In addition, the use of a closed capillary as a sample holder mimicked the real, novel industrial reactor where cement-asbestos slates are sealed in a tunnel kiln. The changing gas atmosphere in the closed system was shown to affect the final composition of the recrystallized product. This study demonstrates the importance of advanced powder diffraction techniques in this field of applied research. (C) 2008 International Centre for Diffraction Data. [DOI: 10.1154/1.2991362]