SimultaneousIR/TG study of calcium carbonate in two aged cement pastes

Two aged cement pastes (7 years) were studied for H₂O and CO₂ evolution, the combined amounts of which were measured by TG and identified by thermo-IR analysis. This indicated the presence of three forms of carbonates, which decomposed at different temperatures. The displacement with time of the evaporation of sorbed water to higher temperatures (500–700°C, TG, MS) shows the possibility of its incorporation into carbonate hydrates and/or hydroxy hydrates, postulated previously. The decomposition of all the hydration products needed a thermal energy increasing with ageing (increased temperature measured by TG). The carbonation process proceeded for 7 years in the weaker paste, whereas it terminated before 5 years in the stronger one. The CSH water content did not change with ageing, whereas that of portlandite was lowered, which though did not account for the increase in carbonate content (TG). Possibly some Ca²⁺ from the CSH gel was involved in this process. In the stronger paste the growth with time of organic matter was found (IR, TG/DTG).