Non-destructive quantitative analysis of five commercially available Indian cement clinkers using powder XRD

Chemistry Department, De Rozio Memorial College, Rajarhat, Kolkata-700 059, India E-mail : funudg@hotmail.com Fax : 91-33-24738205 Department of Central Scientific Services, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata-700 032 Manuscript received 19 December 2014, revised 29 May 2015, accepted 02 June 2015 Structurally distinguishable phases of the substances present in four hydraulic (Portland) cement samples and in one white cement sample manufactured in India, were identified from their respective XRD diagrams and subsequently quantitatively analyzed using quantitative phase analysis program based on Rietveld refinement (Bish and Howard, 1988). Phases present in all the hydraulic cement samples are tricalcium silicate (Alite and Haturite, C3S), dicalcium silicate (Larnite, C2S), brownmillerite, both orthorhombic and monoclinic phases (tetracalcium aluminoferrate, C4AF) and tricalcium aluminate (C3A). A small amount of gypsum, periclase, bassenite and other minerals were also found to be present in four Portland clinkers, while a sizeable chunk of calcium silicate hydrate gel (CAHG) was found to be present in three samples. In the white cement, as expected, neither form of brownmillerites were detected. Credibility, merits and demerits of the method used were discussed