Chemical Formulas of Cement Materials

C	CaO
M	MgO
C 3 S	3CaO·SiO 2 = tricalcium silicate = alite
C 2 S	2CaO·SiO 2 = dicalcium silicate = belite
C 3 A	3CaO·Al 2 O 3 = tricalcium aluminate

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What is the cement chemical formula?

Chemical composition Portland cement is made up of four main compounds: tricalcium silicate ( 3CaO · SiO 2 ), dicalcium silicate (2CaO · SiO 2 ), tricalcium aluminate (3CaO · Al 2 O 3 ), and a tetra-calcium aluminoferrite (4CaO · Al 2 O 3 Fe 2 O 3 ).

What is cement in chemistry?

Cement powder, here conditioned in bag, ready to be mixed with aggregates and water. Dispersing dry cement dust in the air should be avoided to prevent health issues. Cement block construction examples from the Multiplex Manufacturing Company of Toledo, Ohio, in 1905 A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate ) together.

1. Cement mixed with fine aggregate produces mortar for masonry, or with sand and gravel, produces concrete,
2. Concrete is the most widely used material in existence and is behind only water as the planet’s most-consumed resource.
3. Cements used in construction are usually inorganic, often lime or calcium silicate based, which can be characterized as hydraulic or the less common non-hydraulic, depending on the ability of the cement to set in the presence of water (see hydraulic and non-hydraulic lime plaster ).

Hydraulic cements (e.g., Portland cement ) set and become adhesive through a chemical reaction between the dry ingredients and water. The chemical reaction results in mineral hydrates that are not very water-soluble and so are quite durable in water and safe from chemical attack.

This allows setting in wet conditions or under water and further protects the hardened material from chemical attack. The chemical process for hydraulic cement was found by ancient Romans who used volcanic ash ( pozzolana ) with added lime (calcium oxide). Non-hydraulic cement (less common) does not set in wet conditions or under water.

Rather, it sets as it dries and reacts with carbon dioxide in the air. It is resistant to attack by chemicals after setting. The word “cement” can be traced back to the Ancient Roman term opus caementicium, used to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed rock with burnt lime as binder.

The volcanic ash and pulverized brick supplements that were added to the burnt lime, to obtain a hydraulic binder, were later referred to as cementum, cimentum, cäment, and cement, In modern times, organic polymers are sometimes used as cements in concrete. World production is about four billion tonnes per year, of which about half is made in China.

If the cement industry were a country, it would be the third largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world with up to 2.8 billion tonnes, surpassed only by China and the United States. The initial calcination reaction in the production of cement is responsible for about 4% of global CO 2 emissions.

What is the formula of white cement?

Raw mix formulation – The characteristic greenish-gray to brown color of ordinary Portland cement derives from a number of transition elements in its chemical composition. These are, in decreasing order of coloring effect, chromium, manganese, iron, copper, vanadium, nickel and titanium,

• The amount of these in white cement is minimized as far as possible.
• Cr 2 O 3 is kept below 0.003%, Mn 2 O 3 is kept below 0.03%, and Fe 2 O 3 is kept below 0.35% in the clinker,
• The other elements are usually not a significant problem.
• Portland cement is usually made from cheap, quarried raw materials, and these usually contain substantial amounts of Cr, Mn and Fe.

For example, limestones used in cement manufacture usually contain 0.3-1% Fe 2 O 3, whereas levels below 0.1% are sought in limestones for white manufacture. Typical clays used in gray cement rawmix may contain 5-15% Fe 2 O 3, Levels below 0.5% are desirable, and conventional clays are usually replaced with kaolin,

Aolin is fairly low in SiO 2, and so a large amount of sand is usually also included in the mix. Iron and manganese usually occur together in nature, so that selection of low-iron materials usually ensures that manganese content is also low, but chromium can arise from other sources, notably from the wear of chrome steel grinding equipment during the production of rawmix.

See rawmill, This wear is exacerbated by the high sand-content of the mix, which makes it extremely abrasive. Furthermore, to make a combinable rawmix, the sand must be ground to below 45 μm particle diameter. Often this is achieved by grinding the sand separately, using ceramic grinding media to limit the chromium contamination.

With off-white clinker the calculated Fe 2 O 3 level in clinker is higher (0.6-0.8%) Coal can be used (if the ash has little Fe 2 O 3 or other trace elements). The ash in the coal is helpful in the reaction because it is finer than the ground raw materials and it reaches higher temperatures and is molten in the flame.

Kaolin is sometimes found in association with coal deposits. It may be possible to use coal washery waste, oil shale and spent oil shale ash. Off-white clinker has a calculated C 3 A (tricalcium aluminate) of 7-9%. When blended with ground granulated blast furnace slag it can meet requirements for sulfate resistance and low heat.

Is cement a mixture?

What is in This Stuff? The importance of concrete in modern society cannot be overestimated. Look around you and you will find concrete structures everywhere such as buildings, roads, bridges, and dams. There is no escaping the impact concrete makes on your everyday life.

1. So what is it? Concrete is a composite material which is made up of a filler and a binder.
2. The binder (cement paste) “glues” the filler together to form a synthetic conglomerate.
3. The constituents used for the binder are cement and water, while the filler can be fine or coarse aggregate.
4. The role of these constituents will be discussed in this section.

Cement, as it is commonly known, is a mixture of compounds made by burning limestone and clay together at very high temperatures ranging from 1400 to 1600 ]C. Although there are other cements for special purposes, this module will focus solely on portland cement and its properties.

• The production of portland cement begins with the quarrying of limestone, CaCO 3,
• Huge crushers break the blasted limestone into small pieces.
• The crushed limestone is then mixed with clay (or shale), sand, and iron ore and ground together to form a homogeneous powder.
• However, this powder is microscopically heterogeneous.

(See flowchart.) Figure 1: A flow diagram of Portland Cement production. The mixture is heated in kilns that are long rotating steel cylinders on an incline. The kilns may be up to 6 meters in diameter and 180 meters in length. The mixture of raw materials enters at the high end of the cylinder and slowly moves along the length of the kiln due to the constant rotation and inclination. Figure 2: Schematic diagram of rotary kiln. As the mixture moves down the cylinder, it progresses through four stages of transformation. Initially, any free water in the powder is lost by evaporation. Next, decomposition occurs from the loss of bound water and carbon dioxide.

This is called calcination, The third stage is called clinkering. During this stage, the calcium silicates are formed. The final stage is the cooling stage. The marble-sized pieces produced by the kiln are referred to as clinker, Clinker is actually a mixture of four compounds which will be discussed later.

The clinker is cooled, ground, and mixed with a small amount of gypsum (which regulates setting) to produce the general-purpose portland cement. Water is the key ingredient, which when mixed with cement, forms a paste that binds the aggregate together.

1. The water causes the hardening of concrete through a process called hydration.
2. Hydration is a chemical reaction in which the major compounds in cement form chemical bonds with water molecules and become hydrates or hydration products.
3. Details of the hydration process are explored in the next section.
4. The water needs to be pure in order to prevent side reactions from occurring which may weaken the concrete or otherwise interfere with the hydration process.

The role of water is important because the water to cement ratio is the most critical factor in the production of “perfect” concrete. Too much water reduces concrete strength, while too little will make the concrete unworkable. Concrete needs to be workable so that it may be consolidated and shaped into different forms (i.e.

• Walls, domes, etc.).
• Because concrete must be both strong and workable, a careful balance of the cement to water ratio is required when making concrete.
• Aggregates are chemically inert, solid bodies held together by the cement.
• Aggregates come in various shapes, sizes, and materials ranging from fine particles of sand to large, coarse rocks.

Because cement is the most expensive ingredient in making concrete, it is desirable to minimize the amount of cement used.70 to 80% of the volume of concrete is aggregate keeping the cost of the concrete low. The selection of an aggregate is determined, in part, by the desired characteristics of the concrete.

• For example, the density of concrete is determined by the density of the aggregate.
• Soft, porous aggregates can result in weak concrete with low wear resistance, while using hard aggregates can make strong concrete with a high resistance to abrasion.
• Aggregates should be clean, hard, and strong.
• The aggregate is usually washed to remove any dust, silt, clay, organic matter, or other impurities that would interfere with the bonding reaction with the cement paste.

It is then separated into various sizes by passing the material through a series of screens with different size openings. Refer to Demonstration 1 Table 1: Classes of Aggregates

class	examples of aggregates used	uses
ultra-lightweight	vermiculite ceramic spheres perlite	lightweight concrete which can be sawed or nailed, also for its insulating properties
lightweight	expanded clay shale or slate crushed brick	used primarily for making lightweight concrete for structures, also used for its insulating properties.
normal weight	crushed limestone sand river gravel crushed recycled concrete	used for normal concrete projects
heavyweight	steel or iron shot steel or iron pellets	used for making high density concrete for shielding against nuclear radiation

Refer to Demonstration 2 The choice of aggregate is determined by the proposed use of the concrete. Normally sand, gravel, and crushed stone are used as aggregates to make concrete. The aggregate should be well-graded to improve packing efficiency and minimize the amount of cement paste needed.

Also, this makes the concrete more workable. Refer to Demonstration 3 Properties of Concrete Concrete has many properties that make it a popular construction material. The correct proportion of ingredients, placement, and curing are needed in order for these properties to be optimal. Good-quality concrete has many advantages that add to its popularity.

First, it is economical when ingredients are readily available. Concrete’s long life and relatively low maintenance requirements increase its economic benefits. Concrete is not as likely to rot, corrode, or decay as other building materials. Concrete has the ability to be molded or cast into almost any desired shape.

1. Building of the molds and casting can occur on the work-site which reduces costs.
2. Concrete is a non-combustible material which makes it fire-safe and able withstand high temperatures.
3. It is resistant to wind, water, rodents, and insects.
4. Hence, concrete is often used for storm shelters.
5. Concrete does have some limitations despite its numerous advantages.

Concrete has a relatively low tensile strength (compared to other building materials), low ductility, low strength-to-weight ratio, and is susceptible to cracking. Concrete remains the material of choice for many applications regardless of these limitations.

Hydration of Portland Cement Concrete is prepared by mixing cement, water, and aggregate together to make a workable paste. It is molded or placed as desired, consolidated, and then left to harden. Concrete does not need to dry out in order to harden as commonly thought. The concrete (or specifically, the cement in it) needs moisture to hydrate and cure (harden).

When concrete dries, it actually stops getting stronger. Concrete with too little water may be dry but is not fully reacted. The properties of such a concrete would be less than that of a wet concrete. The reaction of water with the cement in concrete is extremely important to its properties and reactions may continue for many years.

Cement Compound	Weight Percentage	Chemical Formula
Tricalcium silicate	50 %	Ca 3 SiO 5 or 3CaO, SiO 2
Dicalcium silicate	25 %	Ca 2 SiO 4 or 2CaO, SiO 2
Tricalcium aluminate	10 %	Ca 3 Al 2 O 6 or 3CaO, Al 2 O 3
Tetracalcium aluminoferrite	10 %	Ca 4 Al 2 Fe 2 O 10 or 4CaO, Al 2 O 3, Fe 2 O 3
Gypsum	5 %	CaSO 4,2H 2 O

Table 2: Composition of portland cement with chemical composition and weight percent. When water is added to cement, each of the compounds undergoes hydration and contributes to the final concrete product. Only the calcium silicates contribute to strength. Tricalcium silicate is responsible for most of the early strength (first 7 days). Dicalcium silicate, which reacts more slowly, contributes only to the strength at later times. Tricalcium silicate will be discussed in the greatest detail. The equation for the hydration of tricalcium silicate is given by: Tricalcium silicate + Water->Calcium silicate hydrate+Calcium hydroxide + heat 2 Ca 3 SiO 5 + 7 H 2 O -> 3 CaO,2SiO 2,4H 2 O + 3 Ca(OH) 2 + 173.6kJ Upon the addition of water, tricalcium silicate rapidly reacts to release calcium ions, hydroxide ions, and a large amount of heat. The pH quickly rises to over 12 because of the release of alkaline hydroxide (OH – ) ions. This initial hydrolysis slows down quickly after it starts resulting in a decrease in heat evolved. The reaction slowly continues producing calcium and hydroxide ions until the system becomes saturated. Once this occurs, the calcium hydroxide starts to crystallize. Simultaneously, calcium silicate hydrate begins to form. Ions precipitate out of solution accelerating the reaction of tricalcium silicate to calcium and hydroxide ions. (Le Chatlier’s principle). The evolution of heat is then dramatically increased. The formation of the calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate hydrate crystals provide “seeds” upon which more calcium silicate hydrate can form. The calcium silicate hydrate crystals grow thicker making it more difficult for water molecules to reach the unhydrated tricalcium silicate. The speed of the reaction is now controlled by the rate at which water molecules diffuse through the calcium silicate hydrate coating. This coating thickens over time causing the production of calcium silicate hydrate to become slower and slower. Figure 3: Schematic illustration of the pores in calcium silicate through different stages of hydration. The above diagrams represent the formation of pores as calcium silicate hydrate is formed. Note in diagram (a) that hydration has not yet occurred and the pores (empty spaces between grains) are filled with water. Diagram (b) represents the beginning of hydration. In diagram (c), the hydration continues. Although empty spaces still exist, they are filled with water and calcium hydroxide. Diagram (d) shows nearly hardened cement paste. Note that the majority of space is filled with calcium silicate hydrate. That which is not filled with the hardened hydrate is primarily calcium hydroxide solution. The hydration will continue as long as water is present and there are still unhydrated compounds in the cement paste. Dicalcium silicate also affects the strength of concrete through its hydration. Dicalcium silicate reacts with water in a similar manner compared to tricalcium silicate, but much more slowly. The heat released is less than that by the hydration of tricalcium silicate because the dicalcium silicate is much less reactive. The products from the hydration of dicalcium silicate are the same as those for tricalcium silicate: Dicalcium silicate + Water->Calcium silicate hydrate + Calcium hydroxide +heat 2 Ca 2 SiO 4 + 5 H 2 O-> 3 CaO,2SiO 2,4H 2 O + Ca(OH) 2 + 58.6 kJ The other major components of portland cement, tricalcium aluminate and tetracalcium aluminoferrite also react with water. Their hydration chemistry is more complicated as they involve reactions with the gypsum as well. Because these reactions do not contribute significantly to strength, they will be neglected in this discussion. Although we have treated the hydration of each cement compound independently, this is not completely accurate. The rate of hydration of a compound may be affected by varying the concentration of another. In general, the rates of hydration during the first few days ranked from fastest to slowest are: tricalcium aluminate > tricalcium silicate > tetracalcium aluminoferrite > dicalcium silicate. Refer to Demonstration 4 Heat is evolved with cement hydration. This is due to the breaking and making of chemical bonds during hydration. The heat generated is shown below as a function of time. Figure 4: Rate of heat evolution during the hydration of portland cement The stage I hydrolysis of the cement compounds occurs rapidly with a temperature increase of several degrees. Stage II is known as the dormancy period. The evolution of heat slows dramatically in this stage.

• The dormancy period can last from one to three hours.
• During this period, the concrete is in a plastic state which allows the concrete to be transported and placed without any major difficulty.
• This is particularly important for the construction trade who must transport concrete to the job site.
• It is at the end of this stage that initial setting begins.

In stages III and IV, the concrete starts to harden and the heat evolution increases due primarily to the hydration of tricalcium silicate. Stage V is reached after 36 hours. The slow formation of hydrate products occurs and continues as long as water and unhydrated silicates are present.

• Refer to Demonstration 5 Strength of Concrete The strength of concrete is very much dependent upon the hydration reaction just discussed.
• Water plays a critical role, particularly the amount used.
• The strength of concrete increases when less water is used to make concrete.
• The hydration reaction itself consumes a specific amount of water.

Concrete is actually mixed with more water than is needed for the hydration reactions. This extra water is added to give concrete sufficient workability. Flowing concrete is desired to achieve proper filling and composition of the forms, The water not consumed in the hydration reaction will remain in the microstructure pore space. Figure 5: Schematic drawings to demonstrate the relationship between the water/cement ratio and porosity. The empty space (porosity) is determined by the water to cement ratio. The relationship between the water to cement ratio and strength is shown in the graph that follows. Figure 6: A plot of concrete strength as a function of the water to cement ratio. Low water to cement ratio leads to high strength but low workability. High water to cement ratio leads to low strength, but good workability. The physical characteristics of aggregates are shape, texture, and size.

These can indirectly affect strength because they affect the workability of the concrete. If the aggregate makes the concrete unworkable, the contractor is likely to add more water which will weaken the concrete by increasing the water to cement mass ratio. Time is also an important factor in determining concrete strength.

Concrete hardens as time passes. Why? Remember the hydration reactions get slower and slower as the tricalcium silicate hydrate forms. It takes a great deal of time (even years!) for all of the bonds to form which determine concrete’s strength. It is common to use a 28-day test to determine the relative strength of concrete.

1. Concrete’s strength may also be affected by the addition of admixtures.
2. Admixtures are substances other than the key ingredients or reinforcements which are added during the mixing process.
3. Some admixtures add fluidity to concrete while requiring less water to be used.
4. An example of an admixture which affects strength is superplasticizer.

This makes concrete more workable or fluid without adding excess water. A list of some other admixtures and their functions is given below. Note that not all admixtures increase concrete strength. The selection and use of an admixture are based on the need of the concrete user.

TYPE	FUNCTION
AIR ENTRAINING	improves durability, workability, reduces bleeding, reduces freezing/thawing problems (e.g. special detergents)
SUPERPLASTICIZERS	increase strength by decreasing water needed for workable concrete (e.g. special polymers)
RETARDING	delays setting time, more long term strength, offsets adverse high temp. weather (e.g. sugar )
ACCELERATING	speeds setting time, more early strength, offsets adverse low temp. weather (e.g. calcium chloride)
MINERAL ADMIXTURES	improves workability, plasticity, strength (e.g. fly ash)
PIGMENT	adds color (e.g. metal oxides)

Table 3: A table of admixtures and their functions. Durability is a very important concern in using concrete for a given application. Concrete provides good performance through the service life of the structure when concrete is mixed properly and care is taken in curing it.

• Good concrete can have an infinite life span under the right conditions.
• Water, although important for concrete hydration and hardening, can also play a role in decreased durability once the structure is built.
• This is because water can transport harmful chemicals to the interior of the concrete leading to various forms of deterioration.

Such deterioration ultimately adds costs due to maintenance and repair of the concrete structure. The contractor should be able to account for environmental factors and produce a durable concrete structure if these factors are considered when building concrete structures.

What is the colour of pure cement?

Where does the gray come from? – Cement essentially consists offour mineral phases: two calcium silicates, a calcium aluminate and a mixed crystal known as calcium aluminate ferrite (C4AF). While the first three appear as pure white minerals, pureC4AF has a brown color because of itsiron content.

So theoretically, pure cement would be brown. But that’s just in theory. In effect, cementis a natural product and never exists in mineral phases that are ab­so­lutely pure. Thus, C4AF is usually contaminated by magne­sium. The quantities are small, but they are nevertheless sufficient enough to partially replace theiron and calciumin C4AF.

These low levels of magnesium polarizeand deform the iron’s electron shell. This, in turn, leads to a change in the ab­sorp­tionof light and the cement appears in its characteristic greenish-gray color.

What is grey cement?

Grey cement means a mix composed of clinker, gypsum and limestone, where the clinker contains more than 0.5% by weight of ferric oxide. Sample 1. grey cement means cement manufactured from clinker containing more than 0.5% by weight of ferrous oxide, which has the molecular formula Fe2O3.

Who first used cement?

The History of Portland Cement – Cement as we know it was first developed by Joseph Aspdin, an enterprising 19th-century British stonemason, who heated a mix of ground limestone and clay in his kitchen stove, then pulverized the concoction into a fine powder.

Is cement a base or acid?

pH and Its Affect on Concrete – A neutral pH is 7, which is what you find in natural freshwater. Anything above 7 is alkaline, and anything below is acidic. Portland cement, concrete’s binding agent, has a pH of 11, making it alkaline. For cement to effectively hold the various components within it, it should have a pH of around 11.

Too much water in the concrete mix Not allowing concrete to dry and cure long enough Rainfall Leaks Lack of adequate climate control Concrete sweating Landscaping that does not divert water away from a building’s foundation

How is cement made naturally?

Rosendale Cement Chemistry HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CEMENTS AND BINDERS? What is Natural Cement? Natural cement is hydraulic cement made from limestone that has a high clay content (argillaceous limestone). It is different from building lime, which is made from limestone with a lower clay content, in that lime is not hydraulic (does not set under water).

1. Lime and Natural Cement are both produced by heating limestone to approximately 900 to 1100 0 C, at which point carbon dioxide bound within the stone is released.
2. In the production of lime, the burnt material is quicklime, which is then mixed with water to make building lime, also referred to as hydrated lime, or as lime putty if excess water is used,

The process of hydrating quicklime is slaking, and when quicklime is slaked, it crumbles to a fine particle size. The burnt natural cement rock does not slake when mixed with water, however. Instead, it must be crushed into a powder before use. The resulting powder is natural cement, which will set when mixed with water, and hardens through a process of cement hydration.

1. When lime is used in masonry mortar and renders, it does not set due to being mixed with water, but rather, must react with carbon dioxide in the air in order to cure and harden.
2. This is a slow process, often requiring weeks or months to build significant initial strength.
3. Portland cement is made from artificial mixtures of limestone, shale, gypsum and other additives.

The mixture is heated to approximately 1400 0 C, at which point components fuse to form a clinker, The clinker is then ground to a fine powder that sets when mixed with water. Hydraulic lime may be made either from blends of lime and pozzolans (such as slag, trass, clay, natural cement, portland cement or ash) or by burning of limestone with naturally occurring silica and/or alumina impurities.

• It is related to natural cement, but contains excess free lime, allowing the material to be slaked to a fine powder after burning.
• This excess of lime may reduce durability, lengthen set time and diminish initial resistance to weather, however, particularly in severe exposures such as coastal and cold weather environments.

Natural cement is simply the product of burning and grinding natural cement rock. American natural cement was never a mixture of ingredients such as clay or other pozzolans and lime or hydraulic lime. The use of such artificial mixtures is historically incorrect, therefore, and it is not “replacement-in-kind”.

BINDER	COMPOSITION	REACTIONS	CHARACTERISTICS	STANDARDS
NATURAL CEMENT	Dicalcic Silicate (Belite); Produced from argillaceous limestone	Hydration, Crystallization Upon Water Contact	Fast Initial Set, followed by slow, gradual rise to final strength. Strength of natural cement mixtures is easily modulated from low strengths similar to lime mortars to strengths approaching those of modern cements.	ASTM C10
HYDRATED LIME & LIME PUTTY	Calcium and Magnesium Hydroxide; Produced from limestone.	Forms Calcite and Magnesium Carbonate w/Prolonged Carbon Dioxide Exposure	Slow set and cure, tends to react incompletely below surface.	ASTM C207 (Hydrated Lime)ASTM C1489 (Lime Putty)
PORTLAND CEMENT	Dicalcic and Tricalcic Silicate, Tricalcium Aluminate; Produced from mixtures of limestone, shale, gypsum, other additives	Hydration, Crystallization upon Water Contact	Controlled Set Times, Rapid Strength Gain	ASTM C150 (Portland Cement)ASTM C91 (Masonry Cement)
HYDRAULIC LIME	Calcium Hydroxide, Dicalcic Silicate and/or Aluminate. Produced from limestone with silica or alumina impurities, or from blends of lime and pozzolans.	Forms Calcite w/Prolonged Carbon Dioxide Exposure; Hydration, Crystallization upon Water Contact	Slower set than natural and Portland cements, faster than lime/lime putty, slow rise to moderate/low strength	ASTM C1489

Rosendale Cement Chemistry

What are the 4 ingredients in concrete?

Concrete Basics: Essential Ingredients For A Concrete Mixture Concrete is and has been for thousands of years, a very popular building material. Made up of just a few basic ingredients, concrete is the most widely used man-made material on the planet.

Humans use more concrete than all other building materials combined. So what is concrete exactly? Concrete is a mixture of cement, air, water, sand, and gravel–it’s as simple as that! Not exactly. The typical concrete mix is made up of roughly 10% cement, 20% air and water, 30% sand, and 40% gravel. This is called the 10-20-30-40 Rule–though proportions may vary depending on the type of cement and other factors.

Now let’s discuss each ingredient and the important role they play in your mix.