Hydration of fly ash-portland cements

Hydration products of fly ash-portland cements were studied with x-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as part of a continuing research effort to understand the pozzolanic activity of fly ashes. It was found that the amount of calcium hydroxide crystals in the cement pastes is diminished due to the addition of fly ash to the cement. Ettringite was produced in the early age, and the consumption of sulfate by the formation of ettringite was accelerated by the addition of fly ash. A partial conversion of ettringite to monosulfate within the first 7 days of hydration in the fly ash-portland cement pastes, but the formation of ettringite continued to form up to at least 28 days of hydration in the pastes without fly ash. Examination of the fly ash bearing pastes showed, in all cases, varying amounts of calcium hydroxide and unreacted portland cement, with minor quartz and gehlenite hydrate. It appears that hydration reactions actually occur in the fly ash cement pastes more or less on a particle-by-particle basis.