The influence of triisopropanolamine on the hydration and microstructure of cement/fly-ash systems during steam curing
A study was made of the effect of triisopropanolamine (TIPA) on the compressive strength and hydration microstructure of cement/fly-ash systems during steam curing. The results show that the compressive strength of cement/fly-ash paste increased with increasing quantity of appropriate amounts of TIPA (0~0.10%). The addition of TIPA can significantly accelerate the hydration of cement and the pozzolanic reaction of fly ash, increase the degree of polymerization of C-S-H gels, reduce the pore volume of hardened cement paste and decrease the amount of harmful and very harmful pores. This all improves the early compressive strength of cement/fly-ash systems and the findings provide some guidance for the application of TIPA in cement/fly-ash systems.
1 Introduction
Fly ash (FA) is a by-product of coal-fired power plants. As a commonly used supplementary cementitious material for concrete it has the advantages of improving workability, reducing heat of hydration and inhibiting shrinkage [1-3]. The use of FA instead of cement can also lead to cost savings and reduced carbon emissions, with significant social, economic and environmental benefits. However, the mechanical properties of cement-based materials are affected if too much FA is used. In particular, the mechanical properties in the early stages are greatly reduced, which is not...
