Effect of Oocystis solitaria on hydration performance of Portland cement pastes
摘要
To date, the effect of Oocystis solitaria (OS) on hydration performance of Portland cement was scarcely studied. In this study, the OS is used as a retarder in cement admixtures. Isothermal calorimetry was used to monitor the hydration performance of the OS-added cement pastes. The total organic carbon (TOC) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) were conducted to reveal interactions between OS and Ca2+ to disclose the underlying mechanisms. The microstructure of cement paste and content of hydrates were evaluated by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The results demonstrate that the setting time of cement increases with increasing the OS content. The addition of OS reduces the rate of heat release and prolongs the induction period of cement hydration. OS delays the cement hydration at the age of 3 d, while it promotes the cement hydration at the age of 28 d. Additionally, the OS-added sample has lower Ca(OH)2 content and higher porosity at the age of 3 d, and higher Ca(OH)2 content and lower porosity at the age of 28 d, leading to lower strength at 3 d and higher strength after 28 d.