Effect of temperature on C–S–H gel nanostructure in white cement

12 pags. ; 11 figs. ; 5 tabs.© 2013, RILEM. Different ages of white cement pastes hydrated at 100 % RH and 25 or 65 °C were characterised with 29Si MAS NMR spectroscopy. The findings showed that raising the curing temperature from 25 to 65 °C accelerated hydration of the belite phase considerably, inducing a sixfold rise in its one day degree of hydration, while alite phase hydration grew by a factor of only 1.5 in the first day. Moreover, the C–S–H gel formed at the higher temperature had a longer mean chain length and a higher initial uptake of Al3+. Lastly, curing at a higher temperature stabilised only one crystalline aluminate phases, calcium hemicarboaluminate.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (MAT2006-11705, CONSOLIDER: CSD2007-00058 and PIE: 201160E103) and the Regional Government of Madrid (Geomaterials Programme, S2009/MAT-1629). Research fellowship BES-2007-16686 is gratefully acknowledgedPeer Reviewe