Abstract
Pyrocatechol (benzene-1,2-diol) acts upon a calcium aluminate cement (CAC) as a very strong set and hardening retardant and a potent plasticizing agent at the same time. By studying CAC-pyrocatechol compositions using different analytical methods it was shown that pyrocatechol indeed slows CAC hydration and decreases strength of hardening stone. What makes this behavior a peculiar one is that pyrocatechol is known to accelerate Portland cement (PC) setting drastically.
Highlights
Pyrocatechol has been reported to decrease Portland cement (PC) setting time significantly even when very small amounts of the substance was admixed [1]
In [2] an 27Al NMR spectroscopy disclosed this accelerating effect is due to a rapid ettringite formation by reaction between C3A and gypsum, and that pyrocatechol has no noticeable effect on calcium silicates hydration
The primary factor that determines this acceleration effect is likely being an interaction between aluminum ions and pyrocatechol that results in chelate complex formation
Summary
Pyrocatechol (benzene-1,2-diol) has been reported to decrease Portland cement (PC) setting time significantly even when very small amounts of the substance was admixed [1]. The primary factor that determines this acceleration effect is likely being an interaction between aluminum ions and pyrocatechol that results in chelate complex formation. Allowing for this theory, it’s intriguing to study how this particular phenol affects calcium aluminate cements (CAC) setting and hydration considering regular CAC primarily consists of CaO·Al2O3 and contains other calcium aluminates as well. The present work focuses mainly on pyrocatechol influence on CAC setting time, cement paste consistency and compressive strength of a cured cement paste, as well as how exactly pyrocatechol affects calcium aluminates hydration. We attempt to describe and explain obtained results in correlation to known theories of CAC hydration
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