In situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction study of the early age hydration of cements blended with zeolitite and quartzite fines and water-reducing agent

A comparison was made between the early-age hydration of cements blended with micronized zeolitite and quartzite powders. The Portland cement replacement in the mixes was 30%, and the effect of introducing a superplasticiser to lower the required water to solid ratio was assessed. The cement pastes were hydrated at 40 °C and monitored in situ by time-resolved synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction combined with Rietveld quantitative phase analysis.The quantitative evolution of phase weight fractions showed that the addition of the zeolite tuff accelerated the hydration rate of the main C3S cement component. Blending with the quartzite powder of similar fineness did not affect the C3S hydration rate. Reduction of the water to solid ratio by introduction of the superplasticiser had a retarding effect on the hydration of the zeolitite-blended cement over the early hydration period up to 3 days.The AFt or ettringite reaction products, formed promptly after the addition of water to the mixtures, underwent a crystal structural modification over the induction period up to 4 to 6 hours of reaction. The continuous contraction of the c-cell parameter and expansion of the a-cell parameter towards the ideal values for AFt or ettringite reflects the structural adaptation of the AFt to the changing availability of sulphate over the course of the first hours of hydration. The observed structural changes were less pronounced in the zeolitite blended cement. This is related to the dilution of the overall sulphate content in the blended cement and highlights the need to control and optimise sulphate additions in blended cements.

► Synchrotron XRD clearly shows the complex sequence of blended cement hydration reactions.
► The addition of natural zeolite advance the main cement hydration reactions.
► Quartzite addition of similar fineness did not lead to an acceleration of hydration.
► The AFt reaction product shows structure chemical changes during the first 4–6 h of hydration.