Dynamical scaling and isotope effect in temporal evolution of mesoscopic structure during hydration of cement

Abstract

The evolution of mesoscopic structure for cement-water mixtures turning into colloidal gels remains far from being understood. Recent neutron scattering investigations [Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 255704 (2004); Phys. Rev. B 72, 224208 (2005); Phys. Rev. B 82, 064203 (2010)] reveal the role of the hydrogen bond in the temporal evolution of the mesoscopic structure during hydration of cement, which is the most consumed synthetic material. The present neutron scattering investigation on hydration of cement with a mixture of light and heavy water points to incomprehensibility of the temporal evolution of the mesoscopic structure in terms of earlier observations on hydration with pure light or heavy water. Unlike the case of hydration with light water, disagreement has been observed with the hypothesis of dynamical scaling for hydration of cement with a mixture of the two types of water. The dynamics of evolution of the mesoscopic structure has been observed to be nonlinear in regard to the composition of hydration medium.