IN-SITU QUASI-ELASTIC NEUTRON-SCATTERING STUDY OF THE HYDRATION OF TRICALCIUM SILICATE

We report on the novel application of quasi-elastic neutron spectrosco py to study the reaction mechanism between tricalcium silicate and wat er. The in situ data taken at a series of fixed temperatures varying f rom 10 to 40 degrees C show that the amount of free water in the syste m remains relatively constant for an initial period, ranging from 1 h at 40 degrees C to 16 This is followed by an exponential decrease in t he amount of free water that to a diffusion-limited behavior for later times. Fits to an Avrami type behavior allow us to determine an activ ation energy for the hydration process on the order of 30 kJ/mol.