Microstructure and characterization of tobermorite synthesized by microwave hydrothermal technique
摘要
Microwave hydrothermal synthesis is gaining increasing attention for its volumetric heating nature, which offers potential for reducing energy consumption and production time in the preparation of tobermorite. In this study, calcium hydroxide and fumed silica were utilized as raw materials to synthesize tobermorite through microwave hydrothermal synthesis. The impact of different synthesis times and temperatures on the microstructure of tobermorite was investigated, followed by an exploration of the mechanism underlying crystal structure formation during microwave heating. The results indicate that under identical temperature conditions, optimal parameters for microwave hydrothermal synthesis of tobermorite include a liquid-to-solid ratio of 30 mL g–1, a temperature of 220 °C, and a duration of 1.5 h. Compared with conventional hydrothermal synthesis requiring 14 h, the microwave method only takes approximately 9% of the time needed for conventional synthesis. Furthermore, microwave hydrothermal synthesis achieves a remarkable reduction in energy consumption by up to 96.2% within just 1.5 h. Although the crystallinity obtained from microwave hydrothermal synthesis is not as high as that achieved through conventional methods, these findings provide fundamental data for utilizing microwave autoclaved technology in preparing autoclaved aerated concrete.