title: Mass density and water content of saturated never-dried calcium silicate hydrates.
abstract: Calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) are the most abundant hydration products in ordinary Portland cement paste. Yet, despite the critical role they play in determining mechanical and transport properties, there is still a debate about their density and exact composition. Here, the site-specific mass density and composition of C-S-H in hydrated cement paste are determined with nanoscale resolution in a nondestructive approach. We used ptychographic X-ray computed tomography in order to determine spatially resolved mass density and water content of the C-S-H within the microstructure of the cement paste. Our findings indicate that the C-S-H at the border of hydrated alite particles possibly have a higher density than the apparent inner-product C-S-H, which is contrary to the common expectations from previous works on hydrated cement paste.
authors: †Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland.
authors: Julio C
authors: JC
authors: da Silva
authors: †Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland.|‡Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, 166 36, Czech Republic.|§Laboratory for Concrete and Construction Chemistry, EMPA, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland.
authors: Pavel
authors: P
authors: Trtik
authors: †Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Diaz
authors: †Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland.
authors: Mirko
authors: M
authors: Holler
authors: †Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland.
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Guizar-Sicairos
authors: †Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland.
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Raabe
authors: †Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland.
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Bunk
authors: †Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Menzel