Crystal-Chemical and Thermal Properties of Decorative Cement Composites

The advanced tendencies in building materials development are related to the design of cement composites with a reduced amount of Portland cement, contributing to reduced CO₂ emissions, sustainable development of used non-renewal raw materials, and decreased energy consumption. This work deals with water cured for 28 and 120 days cement composites: Sample A-reference (white Portland cement + sand + water); Sample B-white Portland cement + marble powder + water; and Sample C white Portland cement + marble powder + polycarboxylate-based water reducer + water. By powder X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy, the redistribution of CO₃^2-, SO₄^2-, SiO₄^4-, AlO₄^5-, and OH^- (as O-H bond in structural OH^- anions and O-H bond belonging to crystal bonded water molecules) from raw minerals to newly formed minerals have been studied, and the scheme of samples hydration has been defined. By thermal analysis, the ranges of the sample's decomposition mechanisms were distinct: dehydration, dehydroxylation, decarbonation, and desulphuration. Using mass spectroscopic analysis of evolving gases during thermal analysis, the reaction mechanism of samples thermal decomposition has been determined. These results have both practical (architecture and construction) and fundamental (study of archaeological artifacts as ancient mortars) applications.