On the chemical durability of a metal-metalloid glass from the alloy (Fe,Cr)80(P,C,Si)20 in hardened Portland cement investigated by FT-IRRS, ESCA, and SEM/EDX

Composites of metal-metalloid glass fibres FIB-RAFLEXTM (Fe,Cr)80(P,C,Si)20 with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) were prepared and used for an accelerated ageing procedure to study the cement paste-fibre interfaces which affect the mechanical behaviour of concrete composites. The role of the interface on the global behaviour of the concrete composite as a basis for the development of high-performance cementitious materials was studied on pulled out fibres by EDX, ESCA and by FTIR/RAMAN microspectroscopy. A Ca(OH)2 rich layer is predominant for the surface of the reinforced cementitious material and represents the interface between aggregate and matrix. The interaction between aggregate and matrix is the reason for the strength of composites with this fibre in the highly alkaline environment of hydrating cements.