Impact of initial CA dissolution on the hydration mechanism of CAC

Usually, for basic investigations on the hydration behaviour of CA (monocalcium aluminate, CaAl2O4) preferably pure samples without the presence of other hydraulic phases are used. In the presented study we apply an alternative approach investigating mixes that contain tiny to low amounts of CA (0.5-20 wt%) besides CA2 (CaAl4O7) or C6AF2 (Ca6Al2Fe4O15). The hydration of the mixes is investigated by isothermal heat flow calorimetry, in-situ XRD and pore solution analysis at 23 °C. A modified thermodynamic database enables the calculation of saturation indices for relevant hydrate phases in the investigated systems. CA similarly influences the hydration of both CA2 and C6AF2 although the exact impact strongly depends on the initial CA/water ratio in the mixes. Up to a certain amount CA is completely consumed during the first minutes after mixing. Beyond this amount the presence of undissolved CA causes an induction period and retards the hydration of CA2 or C6AF2.