Direct observation of C3S particle dissolution using fast nano X-ray computed tomography

Abstract

This paper uses a sequence of 3D images at a 50 nm pixel size to study the dissolution behavior of tricalcium silicate (C3S) particles with a water to solids ratio of 1.10 from 18 min to 7 h of hydration. 550 particles with dimensions ranging from 0.41 μm to 12 μm were directly observed. The results suggest that C3S particles have different dissolution rates with time; however, the dissolution rate seems to correlate well with the particle surface area and is independent of the particle size. These findings provide insights into the behavior of C3S materials and are an important step in understanding and modeling the dissolution of these materials.