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The effect of metakaolin upon the formation of ettringite in metakaolin–lime–gypsum ternary systems

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Abstract

The present study reports the results of investigation on the role of metakaolin in the formation of ettringite in a model relevant to Portland cement. The model consists of ternary system (Trio) metakaolin–lime–gypsum. Five samples of defined ternary system were cured at different temperatures 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 °C. Conduction calorimeter TAM AIR was mainly used to capture heat evolution at different temperatures. Thermoanalytical (simultaneous TGA/DSC) and X-ray diffraction methods were used to identify different products after curing. It results that ettringite is the main hydration product supplemented by calcium silicate and calcium aluminosilicate hydrates according to sample composition. The mechanism and kinetics of hydration, as displayed by calorimetric curves, depend on composition of samples and curing temperatures. Two main types of processes have been elucidated: reaction of aluminum ions with sulfate ones in the presence of calcium ions in aqueous solution to form ettringite supplemented by pozzolanic activity leading to the formation of calcium silicate and calcium aluminosilicate hydrates. Concomitant condensation of alumina and silica species and carbonation have influenced the course of hydration. Activation energy E a depends slightly on composition of ternary system.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for Grant APVV-15-0631 and for the support of the project Sustainability and Development REG LO1211 addressed to the Materials Research Center at FCH VUT.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Construction and Architecture, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská 9, 845 03, Bratislava 45, Slovak Republic

    Martin Palou, Eva Kuzielová & Matúš Žemlička

  2. Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, 812 37, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

    Martin Palou, Eva Kuzielová & Matúš Žemlička

  3. Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 118, 612 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Martin Palou, Radoslav Novotný & Jiří Másilko

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  1. Martin Palou
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  2. Eva Kuzielová
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  4. Radoslav Novotný
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Correspondence to Martin Palou.

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Palou, M., Kuzielová, E., Žemlička, M. et al. The effect of metakaolin upon the formation of ettringite in metakaolin–lime–gypsum ternary systems. J Therm Anal Calorim 133, 77–86 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-017-6885-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-017-6885-0

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