0000000000049768
AUTHOR
David Rinaldi
Surface Relaxivity of Cement Hydrates
Numerous aspects of the physical chemistry of colloidal systems are conditioned by the solid–liquid interface, and this is also the case for hydrated cement systems. Estimating the surface area is thus essential for studying the kinetics of cement hydration and admixture adsorption. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation techniques have already proven useful for this objective, but, for hydrating cements at early ages, it is necessary to know the surface relaxivities of all of the individual phases present to correctly interpret the relaxation data. This paper reports the results of a comparison of NMR relaxometry and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller gas adsorption measurements on various…
Modification of the rate of formation and surface area of ettringite by polycarboxylate ether superplasticizers during early C3A–CaSO4 hydration
Abstract Early C3A–CaSO4 hydration was studied in the presence of various amounts of two polycarboxylate ether superplasticizers differing in their grafting degree. Hydration and surface area developments were investigated by in-situ NMR relaxometry coupled with BET and DSC during the first 2 h after mixing. This study enables a quantitative comparison of the amount and the specific surface area of the ettringite precipitated along the C3A–CaSO4 hydration with or without PCE. The main effect of PCE is to strongly increase ettringite specific area for a variable period. These effects are clearly dependent on the PCE charge and dosage and are reduced when using delayed addition. In this conte…
Fluidizing efficiency of comb-like superplasticizers: The effect of the anionic function, the side chain length and the grafting degree
Superplasticizers and especially polycarboxylate grafted polyethylene oxide (PCE) demonstrated their efficiency to fluidify concrete. The aim of this work is to investigate the evolution of the fluidity as a function of adsorption in a sulfated solution with a wide variety of comb-like superplasticizers and at incomplete adsorption rate. Polymers with various side chain lengths, grafting ratios and also with modified anionic functions (carboxylate, dicarboxylate and phosphate) were synthesized. Inert calcite suspensions were used to mimic early age cementitious materials avoiding the cement hydration. Models of polymer conformation and yield stress prediction have been tested. But the most …
Tailoring the anionic function and the side chains of comb-like superplasticizers to improve their adsorption
Nowadays admixtures and especially superplasticizers are unavoidable components of the concrete formulation. The high fluidizing efficiency of the comb-like superplasticizers must not overshadow their high costs. This study aims to determine the PCE structure parameters which influence their adsorption in order to enhance their resistance to sulfate competitive adsorption and thus minimize their dosage. The PCE adsorption has been studied on calcite and ettringite which are both surfaces representative of early hydrating cement. The effect of the POE side chain length and density and also of the PCE anionic function i.e. carboxylate, dicarboxylate or phosphate on the adsorption has been ana…