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Related Concept Videos

Hydration of Cement01:24

Hydration of Cement

437
Hydration of cement is a chemical reaction between cement particles and water. This process occurs primarily through two mechanisms: through-solution and topochemical. In the through-solution process, anhydrous compounds dissolve into their constituents, hydrates form in the solution, and then precipitate from the supersaturated solution. The topochemical process involves solid-state reactions at the cement particle surface. The through-solution process dominates the topochemical process at the...
437
Strength and Heat of Hydration01:29

Strength and Heat of Hydration

382
The hydration of cement is an exothermic reaction in which heat is generated as cement hydrates. This heat of hydration is critical to cement's strength development. The rate at which this heat is generated affects the temperature rise, with a majority of the heat being released early in the hydration process, half within the first three days, and about 75% within the first week.
The heat of hydration for each cement compound is significant; for instance, tricalcium aluminate (C3A) and...
382
Fineness of Cement01:15

Fineness of Cement

259
The fineness of cement directly influences the rate of hydration, as the hydration begins at the surface of the cement particles. In addition to hydration, the fineness of cement is vital for various properties of concrete including workability, gypsum requirement, and long-term behavior. The fineness of cement is represented in terms of the specific surface of cement which is typically measured in square meters per kilogram, with several methods available for this determination.
Direct...
259
X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

4.1K
X-ray diffraction or XRD is an analytical tool that utilizes X-rays to study ordered structures such as crystalline organic and inorganic samples, polycrystalline materials, proteins, carbohydrates, and drugs.
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are  scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The  X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal...
4.1K
Microcracking in Concrete01:20

Microcracking in Concrete

233
Microcracking in concrete refers to the tiny cracks that can form within the material even before any external load is applied. These microcracks typically occur at the interface between the coarse aggregate and the hydrated cement paste, often as a result of differential volume changes prompted by variations in stress-strain behavior, as well as thermal and moisture movement. Initially, these microcracks remain stable and do not grow substantially until the concrete is stressed to about 30...
233
Porosity in Cement Paste01:18

Porosity in Cement Paste

253
The porosity of concrete is a measure of the void spaces within its structure. These spaces impact its strength and durability significantly. When water and cement interact, a chemical reaction called hydration creates a semi-solid paste. This paste includes combined water, making up approximately 23% of the cement's dry mass, and gel water, which fills minuscule voids known as gel pores, accounting for about 28% of the cement gel volume.
The balance of water to cement in the mix is...
253

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 12, 2025

Expression of Cementitious Pore Solution and the Analysis of Its Chemical Composition and Resistivity Using X-ray Fluorescence
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Expression of Cementitious Pore Solution and the Analysis of Its Chemical Composition and Resistivity Using X-ray Fluorescence

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Accuracy in Cement Hydration Investigations: Combined X-ray Microtomography and Powder Diffraction Analyses.

Inés R Salcedo1, Ana Cuesta2, Shiva Shirani2

  • 1Servicios Centrales de Apoyo a la Investigación, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2021
PubMed
Summary

This study combines X-ray powder diffraction and computed microtomography (μCT) to analyze cement hydration. The methods accurately quantified unhydrated cement content and segmented capillary porosity within hydrated components.

Keywords:
3D image segmentationPortland cementsRietveld methodmicrostructureporosity

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Civil Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Cement hydration is a complex process.
  • X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) with Rietveld refinement accurately tracks crystalline phase evolution.
  • Microstructural features like porosity and amorphous content are challenging to measure accurately.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To combine laboratory X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and computed microtomography (μCT) for a better understanding of cement hydration.
  • To accurately quantify microstructural features, including porosity and amorphous content, during cement hydration.
  • To validate μCT analysis results through comparison with XRD data.

Main Methods:

  • Laboratory X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) was used.
  • Computed microtomography (μCT) was employed for microstructural analysis.
  • Two cement pastes with different water-cement ratios (0.45 and 0.65) in capillaries (0.5 and 1.0 mm) were analyzed at 50 days of hydration.

Main Results:

  • Within the ~2 μm spatial resolution of μCT, capillary porosity was segmented within the hydrated component.
  • Unhydrated cement content was quantified with an accuracy of within 2 vol%.
  • The study demonstrated the potential of combining XRD and μCT for detailed cement hydration analysis.

Conclusions:

  • Combining XRD and μCT offers a powerful approach to characterize cement hydration.
  • This method allows for accurate quantification of unhydrated phases and segmentation of porosity.
  • This research is a foundational step towards precisely determining hydration features, including the hydration degree of supplementary cementitious materials.