Investigating the hydration characteristics of a new composite cementitious binder containing of slag and calcite

Abstract

The influence of the filler content, filler fineness and water to powder ratio (W/P) on hydration kinetics and microstructure behaviour of a new clinker-free material made of calcium hydroxide, blast furnace slag (BFS), calcite and expansive agent are explored in this study. The hydration characteristics of the proposed material were investigated by multiple experimental programmes including X-ray diffraction (XRD), TG-differential thermal analysis (DTA), selective dissolution measurement and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The experimental results revealed that slag reaction degree is enhanced by increasing the filler content and fineness of the filler in high W/P ratio. However, the filler fineness does not show significant improvement in the hydration degree of slag with low W/P ratio in later curing period due to the reduced amount of available water for the hydration reaction. Another interesting finding of this study is that the hemicarboaluminate which is thermodynamically unstable than monocarboaluminate, stably formed even at the later age of hydration reaction in the presence of calcium carbonate. The amended thermodynamic model also well agreed with the tendency of the experimental results in terms of hydration products and porosity of the hardened matrix as a function of curing period.