6533b871fe1ef96bd12d215e

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Study of parameters endogeneous and exogeneous to ordinary Portland ciment influencing hydration of its main phase : tricalcium silicate

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This work devoted to study various parameters influencing hydration of silicate phase main Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) was performed at the Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB). This study is part of the project "Crystal Growth Control" initiated by BASF in order to monitor and provide the best as possible the hydration of Ordinary Portland Cement. The dissolution of alite, like the pure C3S one, is fast in pure water. Speed decreases with deviation from equilibrium and the concentration of aluminates ions in solution. There is also an adsorption on the surface of the aluminum which is into the alite and released by dissolution. Germination and growth of C-S-H has been studied on the one hand, in the presence of aluminates ions within the solution and the other, in the presence of inorganic salts known to be accelerators of Ordinary Portland cement hydration. The presence of aluminum does not alter the initial germination of C-S-H but seems directly involved in the origin of the dormant period of cement. The hydration of C3S in salt solutions leads to the formation during the initial germination even more C-S-H that the solution is concentrated. In addition, the morphology of seeds is modified. Each seed must contain more material occupying less space. Simulation of the entire hydration progress curve observed in solutions of salts of nitrates and halides of calcium, sodium and potassium with the growth model based on the cubic particles aggregation confirms the anisotropy in the growth of seeds. The C-S-H perpendicular growth rate to the surface of the grains increases with the salt concentration and the effect is very dependent on the nature of the anion. This behavior is closer to the Hofmeister series