THE HYDRATION OF DICALCIUM SILICATE AND TRICALCIUM SILICATE

Samples of β-dicalcium silicate, γ-dicalcium silicate, tricalcium silicate, hillebrandite and dehydrated hillebrandite were exposed to saturated steam at temperatures between 50° and 375 °C. After drying to constant weight (usually over calcium oxide) the increase in weight and the amount of free calcium hydroxide were determined. Microscopic examinations and X-ray diffraction patterns of the products were made. The hydration products were then dehydrated and similar studies of the products made. The hydrolysis of the hydration products also was studied.It was found that between 110° and 350 °C. β- and γ-dicalcium silicates may absorb water without hydrolysis to form three crystalline products. Two of these are identical with products already described (20); the third product appears to possess another characteristic crystalline structure as shown by the X-ray pattern, but to have a variable water content with a limiting composition of 2CaO∙SiO2∙H2O. The hydration product may be dehydrated without the liberation of lime.When conditions favoring hydrolyses are avoided, tricalcium silicate hydrates directly to a crystalline hydrate which probably has the limiting composition, 3CaO∙SiO2∙2H2O, although products holding from 1.3 to 2 moles of water give the same X-ray diffraction pattern. When the conditions favor partial hydrolysis, tricalcium silicate decomposes into calcium hydroxide and crystalline hydrated dicalcium silicate. Dehydration of hydrated tricalcium silicate gives one mole of lime along with dicalcium silicate.Hillebrandite exposed to saturated steam at 160 °C. remained unchanged while a sample of dehydrated hillebrandite on hydration gave a product similar to that obtained from β-dicalcium silicate.When treated with a large excess of water, the hydrated silicates hydrolyze to the same extent as the anhydrous silicates, but the final equilibrium is attained more rapidly, especially in the case of hydrated dicalcium silicate.