A novel and facile route for synthesis of fine tricalcium silicate powders

Tricalcium silicate (C3S) powders were successfully prepared via a novel and facile wet-chemical route with CaC2O4 and Si(OC2H5)4 (TEOS) as raw materials. Pure C3S powders with small particle size could be synthesized at 1400 °C for 6 h. The effects of sintering temperatures on the particle size distribution of C3S powders were also investigated. The results revealed that the mean particle sizes of different sintered C3S powders were 2.11, 2.23, 2.92 and 4.01 μm at sintering temperatures of 1300 °C, 1350 °C, 1400 °C and 1450 °C, with the specific surface areas of 2850, 2700, 2060 and 1500 m2/kg, respectively. The results indicated that the variations of sintering temperature had a great influence on the particle size: higher temperatures improve diffusion of ions to the interstitial sites and therefore a faster grain growth.