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The acceleration of very early age cement hydration by C-S-H seeding is getting attention from scholars and field applications because the enhanced early age features do not compromise later age performances. This acceleration could be beneficial for several low-CO2 cements as a general drawback is usually the low very early age mechanical strengths. However, the mechanistic understanding of this acceleration in commercial cements is not complete. Reported here is a contribution to this understanding from the study of the effects of C-S-H gel seeding in one Portland cement and two belite cements at two widely studied water–cement ratios, 0.50 and 0.40. Two commercially available C-S-H nano-seed-based admixtures, i.e., Master X-Seed 130 and Master X-Seed STE-53, were investigated. A multi-technique approach was adopted by employing calorimetry, thermal analysis, powder diffraction (data analysed by the Rietveld method), mercury intrusion porosimetry, and mechanical strength determination. For instance, the compressive strength at 1 day for the PC (w/c = 0.50) sample increased from 15 MPa for the unseeded mortar to 24 and 22 MPs for the mortars seeded with the XS130 and STE53, respectively. The evolution of the amorphous contents was determined by adding an internal standard before recording the powder patterns. In summary, alite and belite phase hydrations, from the crystalline phase content evolutions, are not significantly accelerated by C-S-H seedings at the studied ages of 1 and 28 d for these cements. Conversely, the hydration rates of tetracalcium alumino-ferrate and tricalcium aluminate were significantly enhanced. It is noted that the degrees of reaction of C4AF for the PC paste (w/c = 0.40) were 10, 30, and 40% at 1, 7, and 28 days. After C-S-H seeding, the values increased to 20, 45, and 60%, respectively. This resulted in larger ettringite contents at very early ages but not at 28 days. At 28 days of hydration, larger amounts of carbonate-containing AFm-type phases were determined. Finally, and importantly, the admixtures yielded larger amounts of amorphous components in the pastes at later hydration ages. This is justified, in part, by the higher content of amorphous iron siliceous hydrogarnet from the enhanced C4AF reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019 global cement production has been estimated at 4.1 billion tonnes and CO2 emissions from cement plants were nearly 3.0 billion tonnes. Belite-rich Portland cements (BPCs) have been suggested as innovative environmentally-friendly materials, inasmuch as they can allow a reduction of CO2-emissions up to 35% with respect to ordinary Portland cements (OPCs); in fact, the manufacturing process of BPCs, compared to that of OPCs, is characterized by reduced limestone requirement, lower synthesis temperatures and decreased specific fuel consumption. The peculiar composition of BPCs can be also exploited for achieving valuable technical properties (e.g. better durability against sulfate and carbonation attacks as well as low heat of hydration). This paper examined the hydration behaviour and the physical characteristics of a pilot-scale industrial belite cement hydrated with different water/cement ratios (w/c=0.35 and 0.50) for curing times comprised in the interval 2-90 days; an OPC (class 52.5 R), hydrated with a w/c=0.5, has been employed as a reference term. The experimental findings showed that BPCs systems had better performances, especially at the longest curing periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 regulation and raw material availability will strongly influence the future cement market and a wider use of composite cements containing limestone and pozzolan or slag is expected. In the present paper, the possibility to combine Portland cements (PCs) with reduced clinker factor with sulfoaluminate cement (CSA), is explored. Low Portland clinker cements are prepared in laboratory using different supplementary cementitious materials (limestone, slag, pozzolan and fly ash) and mixed with a sulfoaluminate cement: the hydration behavior of the resulting binders is investigated up to 90 days through a multi-technique approach involving X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Understanding the interaction mechanisms between SCMs and CSA/PC blends will support the development of innovative high performing binders based on CEM III or CEM V, or even on new standardized CEM II. Results highlight that slag is particularly suitable promoting late strength development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The anhydrite/CSA clinker ratio is an important parameter in CSA-OPC blends. • The use of seawater causes changes in the hydrated phase assemblage. • AFm phases play a key role in CSA-OPC blends. • Seawater can be used if the blends are formulated with a deficiency of sulfates. Calcium SulfoAluminate (CSA) cement has received increasing interest in recent years, mainly for its environmental aspects. However, few drawbacks such as its higher cost, compared to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), or the high carbonation rate, limits its application in reinforced concrete even when high early strengths are required. A technological solution could be combining CSA cement with non-corrosive reinforcements, widely used for structure exposed to marine environments. In order to evaluate the feasibility of this innovative solution even in high chlorides environments, blends of CSA clinker and limestone Portland cement were investigated in combination with seawater and varying the constituent proportions. The results show that sulfates play a key role in the equilibria between AFt/AFm influencing the Friedel's salt formation, thus the ability to bind chlorides. An optimal blend composition, able to improve the durability of concrete in marine environment, is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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-CO 2 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-CO 2 cement hydration is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]