Hydration Products, Morphology and Microstructure of Activated Slag Cement

This paper reports the physical properties and hydration products of slag cement that was prepared by activating ground granulated blast furnace slag with commercial lime and plaster of Paris (POP) as activators. The consistency, setting times and soundness of various mixes of slag-lime-POP is reported. The hydration products and formation of bonds in the paste during setting were studied with the help of SEM, FTIR and XRD tests and the same are correlated to the hydration process. The setting times of the mixes are found to be lower than that of the value prescribed for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Borax is used as a setting retarder and a borax content of 0.4 % by mass gives setting times that are normally prescribed for OPC. In the early stages of setting C-A-S-H gels are found in this cementing material instead of C-S-H gel, as generally observed in the OPC.