Effect of alkali salts on the hydration process of belite clinker

Abstract

Belite-rich cement represents one of the low carbon footprint binders. Nevertheless, its use is ac-companied by a low initial rate of hydration. This can be partially eliminated by the grinding to high specific surfaces or by the addition of admixtures (mineralizators or activators). The influence of alkaline activators: CaSO4, Na2SO4 and Na2CO3 (in the amount of 5wt.% related to the clinker weight) on hydration course as well as the quantity of hydration products of belite-rich cements were investigated within this paper. Belite-rich clinker was laboratory synthetized and grinded together with activators to prepare various belite-rich cements. Next, the hydration kinetics and the hydrated phase assemblage were investigated using the isothermal calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses. The use of selected admixtures allows to obtain belite-rich cements with the higher hydraulic activity in initial times.Belite-rich cement represents one of the low carbon footprint binders. Nevertheless, its use is ac-companied by a low initial rate of hydration. This can be partially eliminated by the grinding to high specific surfaces or by the addition of admixtures (mineralizators or activators). The influence of alkaline activators: CaSO4, Na2SO4 and Na2CO3 (in the amount of 5wt.% related to the clinker weight) on hydration course as well as the quantity of hydration products of belite-rich cements were investigated within this paper. Belite-rich clinker was laboratory synthetized and grinded together with activators to prepare various belite-rich cements. Next, the hydration kinetics and the hydrated phase assemblage were investigated using the isothermal calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses. The use of selected admixtures allows to obtain belite-rich cements with the higher hydraulic activity in initial times.