Thermal analysis of water confined in fully and partially saturated cement paste

The main object of the presented research is to apply thermal analysis in order to investigate microstructure of hardened cement paste. The test is conducted by means of differential scanning calorimetry on samples stored in various relative humidity levels as well as the fully saturated ones. The obtained results describe water solidification beginning at several different temperatures, which implies complex nature of cement paste microstructure. The recorded thermograms consist of two main peaks, which clearly indicate the division into capillary and gel pores. Additionally, the thermodynamic properties of actual pore solution confined in cement matrix are investigated. The obtained results indicate ions present in the liquid strongly affects its phase transition temperature as well as amount of ice formed during such the phase change