Influence Mechanism of Nano C-S-H on Cement Hydration and Mortar Properties

doi:10.16552/j.cnki.issn1001-1625.2026.0400

Abstract

Abstract:

To clarify the influence of nano calcium silicate hydrate （C-S-H） on cement hydration and mortar properties， this paper investigated the effect of 0% to 5% （mass fraction） nano C-S-H on the compressive strength， flexural strength， setting time， and other performance indicators of cement mortar. The microscopic mechanisms were revealed through X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The results indicate that nano C-S-H can effectively promote the cement hydration process and improve early strength. With the increase of nano C-S-H dosage， the compressive strength and flexural strength of cement initially increase and then decrease. When the nano C-S-H dosage is 3%， both compressive strength and flexural strength are significantly improved. When the nano C-S-H dosage is 4%， the compressive strength and flexural strength reach their peak， with an increase of 11.4% and 18.1%， respectively， compared to the control group after 28 d of curing. As the nano C-S-H dosage increases， the initial setting time and final setting time of cement continue to shorten， and the shrinkage rate gradually increases. At a 5% dosage， the shrinkage rate increases by 22.7% compared to the control group. When the nano C-S-H dosages is 0% to 3%， the initial fluidity increases with the increase of nano C-S-H dosage. When the nano C-S-H dosage exceeds 3%， the initial fluidity decreases with the increase of nano C-S-H dosage. Microscopically， nano C-S-H can effectively promote the hydration of di-calcium silicate （C₂S） and tri-calcium silicate （C₃S） in cement. With the increase of nano C-S-H dosage， the production of flocculent hydration product C-S-H gel gradually increases， making the interior of specimen denser and effectively improving the early compressive strength of cement mortar. However， as the curing time increases， the effect of nano C-S-H on strength gradually decreases. The research results can provide a reference for the application of nano C-S-H in cement-based composite material.

Key words: nano C-S-H, cement mortar, hydration process, early strength, microscopic morphology

CLC Number:

TQ172.72

HU Min, ZHANG Han, CHENG Huijuan. Influence Mechanism of Nano C-S-H on Cement Hydration and Mortar Properties[J]. BULLETIN OF THE CHINESE CERAMIC SOCIETY, 2026, 45(9): 3010-3016.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig.1 Effects of different nano C-S-H dosages on compressive strength

Fig.2 Effects of different nano C-S-H dosages on flexural strength

Fig.3 Effects of different nano C-S-H dosages on of cement mortar

Fig.4 Effects of different nano C-S-H dosages on fluidity setting time of cement mortar

Fig.5 Effects of different nano C-S-H dosages on shrinkage rate of cement mortar

Fig.6 Effect of nano C-S-H on hydration products of cement mortar

Fig.7 SEM images of cement mortar with different nano C-S-H dosages at 3 d

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