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Chapter 11: Problem 13

Discuss the process of setting of cement.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The setting of cement involves 4 main stages: Wetting process where water dissociates ions, initial stages of chemical reactions to set the paste and acquire initial hardness, later reactions involving silicates and aluminates to provide additional strength and finally, a slow reaction called the 'Calceolate Reaction' which increases the volume of cement.

Step by step solution

01

Wetting Process

When cement comes in contact with water, it starts getting wetted. Water molecules dissociate \(Ca^{2+}\) and \(OH^-\) ions from the cement mixture into their separate ions. This will lead to the beginning of the setting process of cement.
02

Initial Stage

In the early stage of wetting, chemical reactions occur which cause the paste to set and acquire initial hardness. These reactions involve the mixture of dicalcium and tricalcium silicates. Each react with water to form insoluble calcium hydroxide and two types of calcium silicate crystals, these are responsible for early strength.
03

Later Stage

Later, major reactions occur between silicates and aluminates with water to form calcium silicate and calcium aluminate hydrates which provide additional strength. These reactions continue for a significant amount of time before the cement eventually hardens.
04

Calceolate Reaction

Finally, a slow reaction of calcium aluminate with the gypsum (added at the time of grinding the clinker) to form calcium sulphoaluminate takes place. This is responsible for the increase in the volume of cement and is termed as 'Calceolate Reaction'.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Write short notes on (a) Plaster of Paris (b) Cement

Explain the following: (a) \(\mathrm{Be}(\mathrm{OH})_{2}\) is insoluble and \(\mathrm{Ba}(\mathrm{OH})_{2}\) is soluble. (b) Be and Mg do not impart colours to the flame. (c) First IE of \(\mathrm{Mg}\) is more than that of Na but second \(\mathrm{IE}\) of \(\mathrm{Mg}\) is less than that of Na.

Complete the following reactions: (a) \(\mathrm{Be}_{2} \mathrm{C}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O} \longrightarrow\) (c) \(\mathrm{Mg}_{2} \mathrm{C}_{3}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O} \longrightarrow\) (d) \(\mathrm{Al}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{3}+\mathrm{NaOH} \longrightarrow\) (e) \(\mathrm{BeCl}_{2}+\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{OC}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \longrightarrow\)

Discuss the preparation, properties and structure of \(\mathrm{BeCl}_{2}\).

Alkaline earth metals should exist as \(\mathrm{M}^{+}\) due to higher IE but they exist as \(\mathrm{M}^{2^{+}}\) ions. Explain.
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