Microstructure of tricalcium silicate and Portland cement systems at middle periods of hydration-development of Hadley grains

The development of the microstructure of C₃S paste and a Portland cement paste was studied between 7 and 24 h by means of backscattered electrons in a field-emission SEM. The course of hydration was measured by isothermal calorimetry. While the abundant occurrence of Hadley grains (hollow-shells) in Portland cement systems is well documented from a number of SEM and other microscopy studies, some earlier reports have noted that Hadley grains do not form in C₃S or alite paste alone. This report shows evidence of Hadley grains in C₃S paste, and follows their development from middle to late hydration stages. At around 10 h the microstructure with respect to Hadley grains were seen to develop in a very similar manner in C₃S and cement. In both systems, a narrow gap often developed between the receding anhydrous cores and layer of reaction product enveloping the cores. By 1 day, Hadley grains had continued to develop only in the cement paste, where they became a prominent feature. Only small ‘hollowed-out’ hydration shells were observed in the C₃S paste by 1 day. These were presumably reminiscences of the small gapped Hadley grains seen at the earlier hydration stages.