Nanostructure of Calcium Silicate Hydrates in Cements

Type
Article

Authors
Skinner, L. B.
Chae, S. R.
Benmore, C. J.
Wenk, H. R.
Monteiro, P. J. M.

KAUST Grant Number
KUS-11-004021

Date
2010-05-11

Abstract
Calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) is the major volume phase in the matrix of Portland cement concrete. Total x-ray scattering measurements with synchrotron x rays on synthetic CSH(I) shows nanocrystalline ordering with a particle diameter of 3.5(5) nm, similar to a size-broadened 1.1 nm tobermorite crystal structure. The CSH component in hydrated tricalcium silicate is found to be similar to CSH(I). Only a slight bend and additional disorder within the CaO sheets is required to explain its nanocrystalline structure. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

Citation
Skinner LB, Chae SR, Benmore CJ, Wenk HR, Monteiro PJM (2010) Nanostructure of Calcium Silicate Hydrates in Cements. Physical Review Letters 104. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.195502.

Acknowledgements
This publication was based on work supported in part by Grant No. KUS-11-004021, made by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). This work was supported by the U.S. DOE, Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. Also, thanks to Dr. Simon Clark, Dr. Juyoung Ha, Cagla Meral, and Elizabeth Mannering for their help with the production of this paper; and to Gordon Chan and Dr. Laila Raki for their help with the sample synthesis.

Publisher
American Physical Society (APS)

Journal
Physical Review Letters

DOI
10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.195502

PubMed ID
20866975

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