Influence of cristalline structure of two minerals clays of type 1/1 on their pozzolanic power

Two clayey materials, one provided by a patner in mineral sector and the other coming from Balengou (West Region Cameroon) were subject of a comparative study in order to evaluate the influence of their crystalline structure on their pozzolanic property. These two natural materials were preliminary enriched in clay minerals by wet sieving and the fractions obtained are denoted K and H respectively. K and H were calcinated at 700 °C, with a heating rate of 5 °C/min and 10 hours dwell at the peak temperature, the products obtained were named MK and MH. Samples K, H, MK and MH were physicochemically characterized by the chemical (ICP), thermal(TGA/DTA) and mineralogical (DRX and Spectrometry IR) analyses together with the measurement of specific surface (BET), crystallinity and the pouzzolanicity test. The results confirmed K as a kaolinitic and H halloysic clay. The kaolinite and the halloysite respectively presented in these clayey materials exhibited a poor crystallinity, but the degree of disorder is higher in K than in H. These results were largely affected by the significant fraction of gibbsite in kaolinitic clay K. At the crude state, the pozzolanic activity of the material H is weak compared with that of K, but the heat treatment makes largely improve this property for both samples

Pozzolanic activity of kaolins containing aluminum hydroxide

International audienc

Pozzolanic activity of kaolinite material rich in gibbsite calcined at low temperature and its effect on physical and mechanical properties of Portland cement mortars

Gibbsite in tropical kaolinite material greatly influences its reactivity as pozzolanic material. The aim of this research is to study the effect of gibbsite, Al(OH)3, (15.9 mass%) on the pozzolanic activity of a kaolinite material calcined at low temperature. To this effect, the as-received raw kaolinite material was calcined at 600°C and the output product was used to partially replace Portland cement by 0, 10 and 20 mass% to produce mortars. The calcined kaolinite material was firstly subjected to the modified Chapelle test and strength activity index in order to evaluate its pozzolanic activity and physical and mechanical properties of the as-produced specimens were assessed. The results show that the calcined kaolinite material presents a high pozzolanic activity (Chappelle test = 1665 mg of Ca(OH)2/g) compared to the reference un-calcined kaolinite material (535.0 mg of Ca(OH)2/g). After 28 days of curing, mortars obtained from partial replacement with 10 mass% of the calcined kaolinite material show higher compressive strength (54.5 MPa) compared to those obtained with 20 mass% (51.3 MPa). Indeed, these values are higher compared to those of mortars produced without replacement. In fact, aluminium compound promotes the formation of metastable hydrated phases (CAH10/C2AH8) at early age which temporally hinder cement hydration. Conversely, these phases are progressively transformed into stable hydrated phases of C3AH6 with time, thereby favoring the hardening of specimens. Thus, partial replacement of Portland Cement by 10 mass% of the calcined kaolinite material is suitable to obtain mortars endowed with enhanced compressive strength for construction purpose