Saturated Solutions of Anhydrous Phases in the System Lime-Silica-Water: Example of β-C2S

Saturated solutions rerely form when the anhydrous constituents of aluminous and portland cement are stirred in water or in lime solutions of increasing concentrations. Apart from monocalcium aluminate, concentration of ions in solution cannot exceed maximum supersaturation with respect to the hydrate most likely to precipitate. The present work shows such a behavior for β-C₂S suspended in water and in lime solutions at low concentration. In more concentrated lime solutions, a short lifetime saturation state with respect to β-C₂S seems to be reached.