Effect of corrosive solutions on C-S-H microstructure in portland cement paste with fly ash

Abstract

By means of 29Si and 27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) combined with deconvolution technique, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as energy dispersive X-ray system(EDX), the effect of 5 wt% corrosive solutions (viz. 5 wt% Na2SO4, MgSO4, Na2SO4+NaCl and Na2SO4+NaCl+Na2CO3) on C-S-H microstructure in Portland cement containing 30 wt% fly ash was investigated.The results show that, in MgSO4 solution, Mg2+ promotes the decalcification of C-S-H by SO 4 2- ,increasing silicate tetrahedra polymerization and mean chain length (MCL) of C-S-H. However, the substituting degree of Al3+ for Si4+ (Al[4]/Si) in the paste does not change evidently. Effect of Na2SO4 solution on C-S-H is not significantly influenced by NaCl solution, while the MCL and Al[4]/Si of C-S-H in fly ashcement paste slightly change. However, the decalcification of C-S-H by SO 4 2- and CO 3 2- attack, as well as the activation of fly ash by SO 4 2- attack will increase the MCL and Al[4]/Si, which are both higher than that under Na2SO4 corrosion, MgSO4 or Na2SO4 +NaCl coordination corrosion.