Crystallization features of calcium sulfate in the process
of “artificial aging”
M. Garkavi, H.-B. Fischer, E. Kolodezhnaya
DOI: 10.19110/geov.2020.9.6
Gypsum binders are widely used in construction, mining and the oil and gas industry. The use of these binders is conditioned by stability of their technical characteristics, which is achieved by using a technological operation “artificial aging”.
The features of artificial aging are: 1) hydration of calcium sulphate hemihydrate in liquid phase deficiency; 2) the resulting dihydrate gypsum crystallizes in a limited volume of micropores of the original binder.
From the standpoint of the quataronic concept, the features of the crystallization of gypsum dihydrate in the micropores of the original gypsum binder are considered. The effect of artificial aging conditions and the degree of supersaturation on the growth mechanism and the morphology of gypsum dihydrate crystals was determined.
The use of artificial “aging” results in healing of defects in the structure of the original binder, decreasing water demand and increasing strength.
Keywords: crystallization of quataron, calcium sulfate, artificial aging, gypsum binder.
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