Chemical mapping of cement pastes by using confocal Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

In the present study, chemical mapping on the hydration process of cement paste with water-to-cement (w/c) ratio of 0.60 was implemented by Raman spectroscopy (RS). The RS was applied to study the paste from 12 hours after mixing to 28 days. Cement ingredients and hydration products, including calcium silicates (C₃S and C₂S), calcium hydroxide (CH), and ettringite, were quantitatively studied. From the research, it is observed that calcium silicates were consumed gradually with the increased hydration age. Calcium hydroxide increased and tended to cluster in the pore vicinity during hydration. Ettringite was found to form on the surface of the unreacted particles, which was shown as a mixed zone of ettringite and calcium silicates in the maps. It is concluded from the study that chemical mapping was an effective method to assist in visualizing particle dispersion and connection on top of the quantitative analysis.

Keywords

chemical mapping / Raman spectroscopy / calcium silicates / calcium hydroxide / ettringite

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Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg