The Effect of Composition on the Colloid Structure of Calcium Silicate Hydrate: Implications for Concrete Durability and a Basis for a Fundamental Understanding of Cement

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

0070922 Jennings The relationships between composition and structure of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) will be established. C-S-H will be treated as a colloidal material that has been successfully modeled for one composition as being made up of particles with about 1 NM radius. They are clustered together to make a structure exhibiting particular surface areas and densities that depend on the size of the sample, i.e. the resolution of probe. Neutron scattering and gas sorption provide two powerful techniques for investigating the structure. The model will be extended to include C-S-H with a range of compositions, produced through the control of chemistry.