Increasing Resolution in Chemical Mapping of Geomaterials: from X-ray Fluorescence to Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) micro-mapping is an important analytical tool for the study of geomaterials. In this work, this technique was applied, for the first time, to the analysis of alkali-activated materials and geopolymers, as well as rocks, mortars and bricks. The results obtained were compared with the ones obtained using Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) macro-mapping and the advantages of the LIBS approach (speed, lateral and in-depth resolution, capability of light elements analysis) were highlighted.The issues associated with the quantitative determination of the samples' composition from the analysis of the LIBS spectra were also briefly discussed.