UC Berkeley

The main binding phases of calcium aluminate cement (CAC) concrete, CaO·Al2O3·10H2O (CAH10) and 2CaO·Al2O3·8H2O (C2AH8), slowly convert to 3CaO·Al2O3·6H2O (C3AH6) and Al(OH)3 (AH3). This reaction significantly speeds up at a temperature higher than ∼30 °C, and over time leads to significant strength loss in CAC concrete. Because of the lack of direct evidence that simultaneously probes morphological and chemical/crystallographic information, intense debate remains whether the conversion is generated by a solid-state or through-solution reaction. The conversion of CAH10 at an elevated temperature is studied herein using synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray spectromicroscopy capable of acquiring near edge X-ray absorption fine structure data and ptychographic images with a resolution of ∼15 nm. We show that, when stored at 60 °C, CAH10 first converts to C2AH8 by solid-state decomposition, followed by the through-solution formation of C3AH6. The C3AH6 crystallizes from both the relics of dissolved C2AH8 and from the surface of existing C3AH6 crystals. The solid-state decomposition of CAH10 occurs in multiple sites inside the CAH10 crystals; the spatial range of each decomposition site spans a few tens of nanometers, which overcomes the kinetics barrier of ion transportation in the solid-state. Our work provides the first nanoscale crystal-chemical evidence to explain the microstructure evolution of converted CAC concrete.