Influence of sugar beetroot microsheets on the hydration kinetics of cementitious composites : Electrochemical characterization

This paper examines the influence of novel sugar beetroot-based micro sheets (SMSs) on the hydration of cement. The SMS material was added to cement pastes in different concentrations and the hydration kinetics of the cementitious composites were studied via cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The effect of SMS on the hydration development of cement, change in the pore size distribution and microstructural evolution were also quantified. The CV and EIS results revealed that the synergetic effect of the reactive SMS surface functional groups and tricalcium silicate (C3S) increased the ionic strength of the pore solution, ion diffusion rate and charge transport properties within the cementitious pastes. The CV and EIS measurements correlated well with the two main indicators of the cement hydration rate: the degree of hydration (DOH) and the calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) content. The delineated hydration kinetics suggested that the SMS sheets accelerate the dissolution of C3S and increase the hydration depth by channelling water from the pore solution to the unhydrated cement core thereby amplifying the growth of the hydration phases. As a result, the mechanical properties of the SMS doped cementitious composites were improved. The proposed SMS sheets are a potential sustainable and renewable biomaterial for improving the performance and reducing the carbon footprint of cementitious materials