Chemical activation of hybrid binders based on siliceous fly ash and Portland cement

Abstract

The hydration of Portland cement (PC) blended with a high amount of a siliceous fly ash (70% fly ash, 30% PC) has been examined. The fly ash contributes significantly to the long-term strength development, when compared to a reference sample with quartz powder. However the long setting time and the poor early strength prevent the use of such binders. Therefore the effect of different activators (sodium carbonate, potassium sodium silicate, potassium citrate and sodium oxalate) on the setting, the hydration kinetics and the strength development of the fly ash-PC blend has been investigated.The addition of the activators increases the pH and decreases thus the calcium concentrations in the pore solution, which leads to a faster reaction of alite and thus to early setting and increased early strength. On the long term, the high alkali concentrations lower the compressive strength and lead to a (partial) destabilization of ettringite.Sodium oxalate and potassium sodium silicate accelerate both the setting of the fly ash-PC blend and increase the early compressive strength. Furthermore, they show better compressive strengths at later ages compared to the other activators. Based on these findings, they can be considered as the most suitable accelerators among the investigated activators.