RT Journal Article
T1 C-S-H seeding activation of Portland and Belite cements: An enlightening in situ synchrotron powder diffraction study
A1 Morales-Cantero, Alejandro
A1 Cuesta-García, Ana María
A1 Gómez-de-la-Torre, María de los  Ángeles
A1 Santacruz-Cruz, María Isabel
A1 Mazanec, Oliver
A1 Borralleras, Pere
A1 Weldert, Kai S.
A1 Gastaldi, Daniela
A1 Canonico, Fulvio
A1 García-Aranda, Miguel Ángel
K1 Rietveld, Método de
AB C-S-H seeding in Portland cements is well known from basic scientific works and field applications. Moreover, this activation approach could be beneficial for low-CO2 cements under development where a general drawback is poor mechanical strengths during the first week of hydration. However, a mechanistic understanding of the different processes taking place when seeding is still not developed. Here, we contribute to this knowledge gap by studying one commercial Portland cement and two industrial-trial belite cements. Three different admixtures are employed, viz. two types of commercial C-S-H seeding and triisopropanolamine as a typical alkanolamine. A multitechnique approach is employed including calorimetry, ultrasonic pulse velocity, thermal analysis and Rietveld analysis of laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data. Chiefly, an in situ X-ray synchrotron diffraction study has allowed mapping out the evolution of every crystalline phase. Furthermore, the use of an internal standard permitted to measure the changes in the overall amorphous content. In a nutshell, alite and belite (phases) hydrations are not significantly accelerated by C-S-H seeding for the three studied cements. Conversely, sulphate and aluminate phase dissolutions are enhanced. Faster ettringite crystallisation contributes to the observed improved mechanical properties at early ages. Moreover, a synergistic effect between C-S-H seeding and alkanolamine addition is proved. The importance of these findings for the possible acceleration of low-CO2 cement hydration is discussed.
PB Elsevier
SN 0008-8846
YR 2022
FD 2022-11
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/24805
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/24805
LA eng
NO Alejandro Morales-Cantero, Ana Cuesta, Angeles G. De la Torre, Isabel Santacruz, Oliver Mazanec, Pere Borralleras, Kai Steffen Weldert, Daniela Gastaldi, Fulvio Canonico, Miguel A.G. Aranda, C-S-H seeding activation of Portland and Belite cements: An enlightening in situ synchrotron powder diffraction study, Cement and Concrete Research, Volume 161, 2022, 106946, ISSN 0008-8846, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2022.106946
NO This research has been partly supported by two research grants PID2020-114650RB-I00 (from Spanish Government) and P18-RT-720 (from Junta de Andalucía, Spain), which are co-funded by ERDF. ALBA synchrotron is thanked for granting beamtime at BL04-MSPD beamline. We also thank the assistance of Dr. Oriol Vallcorba during the synchrotron experiment and thorough discussion of this work with Peter Schwesig (Master Builders Solutions). Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Malaga/CBUA.
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 20 ene 2026