Morphology: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Analysis

The mechanism

SEM analysis can provide valuable information about the rock wool insulation material. The technique allows for the analysis of features such as morphology, size, and distribution of the sample. It also enables the examination of the microstructure, including crystal structure, grain size, and fiber structure [1]. Additionally, SEM can be used to analyze the chemical composition, surface chemical properties, and interface properties, and detect defects, cracks, and residual stresses in the material.
SEM analysis involves emitting high-energy electrons onto the sample's surface. The incident electrons are emitted to the sample by the emitter. When the high-energy electron beam enters the sample surface, the electrons collide with the atoms or molecules on the sample surface one or more times, and the generated secondary electrons and backscattered electrons are received and amplified by the detector to form a microscopic image, providing detailed information about the sample's surface morphology [1].

The results

SEM imaging (Fig.2) reveals that the rock wool board is composed of fibres with diameters ranging from approximately 5 to 10 μm. These fibres exhibit a vertical orientation, perpendicular to the surface of the board. They are randomly distributed throughout the material, forming a dense network.

Fiber Orientation:
The fibers in the rock wool board exhibit a predominantly vertical orientation, perpendicular to the surface of the board. This orientation is likely a result of the manufacturing process, which involves the deposition and entangling of fibers to create the board structure.
Fiber Distribution:
The fibers in the rock wool board are randomly distributed throughout the material. This random arrangement results in a homogeneous distribution of fibers, creating a network-like structure (Fig.2 (b)).
Fiber Morphology:
The fibers exhibit a typical fibrous morphology, with elongated structures and a rough surface texture. The surface of the fibers may appear irregular, and occasional protrusions or surface features may be observed

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Fig. 2. SEM results of the rock wool board

*The experimental images were obtained by the NPU laboratory

Reference
[1] Mokobi, F., Kongnyui, T.D. and Ritesh (2022) Scanning electron microscope (SEM)- definition, principle, parts, images, Microbe Notes. Available at: https://microbenotes.com/scanning-electron-microscope-sem/#how-does-the-scanning-electron-microscope-sem-work (Accessed: 18 May 2023).

Characterisation data

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