Influence of organosilicon admixtures on the hydration of Portland cement

The impact of three different organosilicon compounds: poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), potassium methylsiliconate (MESI) and triethoxyoctylsilane (OTES), used as integral admixtures, on Portland cement hydration has been investigated by isothermal calorimetry and DTA-TG analysis. The silicon-based compounds are widely used as internal hydrophobic agents added into batch water; therefore, their effectiveness was investigated by means of capillary water absorption test. The isothermal calorimetry was used to measure the rate and amount of heat released during ordinary Portland cement hydration with integral organosilicon admixtures at 20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C and 50 °C. It allowed to determine the activation energy as well. The results indicate that used admixtures (except MESI admixture) decrease in the rate and amount of heat release during cement hydration. In addition, it is noticeable that the addition of MESI admixture significantly prolongs the induction period and delays hydration. In contrast to MESI and OTES admixtures, PDMS-based admixture does not affect significant on the activation energy. DTA-TG analysis had shown differences between reference sample and samples containing organosilicon admixtures during thermal decomposition, in terms of the amount of moisture and bound water, as well as Ca(OH)2 or carbonates. The results presented in this paper enable a better understanding of the interactions between the organosilicon integral admixtures and the cement matrix. The study shows the effect of integral admixtures on cement hydration and thus the potential effect on the final properties of the cement-based material.