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3D Nanotomography of calcium silicate hydrates by transmission electron microscopy
Author(s) -
Viseshchitra Panod,
Ercius Peter,
Monteiro Paulo J. M.,
Scott Mary,
Ushizima Daniela,
Li Jiaqi,
Xu Ke,
Wenk HansRudolf
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/jace.17593
Subject(s) - calcium silicate hydrate , materials science , transmission electron microscopy , foil method , nanoscopic scale , calcium silicate , silicate , electron tomography , mineralogy , nanometre , raman spectroscopy , cementitious , crystallography , tobermorite , scanning electron microscope , hydrate , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , composite material , scanning transmission electron microscopy , cement , chemistry , optics , physics , engineering , organic chemistry , chromatography
Calcium silicate hydrate (C‐S‐H), is the principal hydration product of Portland cement that mainly contributes to the physical and mechanical properties of concrete. This paper aims to investigate the three‐dimensional structure of C‐S‐H with Ca/Si ratios of 1.0 and 1.6 at the nanoscale using electron tomography. The 3D reconstructions and selected region of interest analysis confirm that the morphology of both C‐S‐H materials are foil‐like structures. The difference between the two materials is the density of elongated structures. C‐S‐H with Ca/Si ratio 1.6 is clearly composed of denser particles compared to the other C‐S‐H material due to overlapping of the foil‐like structure. Pore analysis shows that C‐S‐H 1.0 and C‐S‐H 1.6 have porosities 69.2% and 49.8% respectively. Pore size distribution also reveals that C‐S‐H 1.0 has pore size range between 0‐250 nm and C‐S‐H 1.6 between 0‐100 nm. The pore network's size of C‐S‐H 1.0 is significantly larger than 1.6. This study illustrates the capability of using electron tomography to determine the 3D nanoscale structure of cementitious products and to distinguish between C‐S‐H 1.0 and 1.6.