High temperature hydration of tricalcium silicate, the major component of Portland cement: a silicon-29 NMR contribution

The evolution of the calcium silicate hydrate structure formed during the high temperature hydration of tricalcium silicate was studied by 29Si NMR. The rise of the synthesis temperature leads to an acceleration of the hydration reaction, a growth of the silicate chains with apparition of two kinds of Q2 entities and formation of a tobermoritic phase at 120°C under 200 bar