Gypsum is a soft, transparent or translucent mineral composed of crystallised calcium sulphate (CaSO 4) it is used in the manufacture of wall boards, paper, paints, plasters and cement. Gypsum is added to Portland cement to regulate the otherwise extreme setting reaction which occurs in the presence of water.
Gypsum is a soft, transparent or translucent mineral composed of crystallised calcium sulphate (CaSO 4) it is used in the manufacture of wall boards, paper, paints, plasters and cement. Gypsum is added to Portland cement to regulate the otherwise extreme setting reaction which occurs in the presence of water.
Gypsum is a soft, transparent or translucent mineral composed of crystallised calcium sulphate (CaSO 4) it is used in the manufacture of wall boards, paper, paints, plasters and cement. Gypsum is added to Portland cement to regulate the otherwise extreme setting reaction which occurs in the presence of water.
THE ROLE OF GYPSUM IN CEMENT Gypsum is a soft, transparent or translucent mineral composed of crystallised calcium sulphate (CaSO 4 ), found naturally primarily in sedimentary deposits. I t is used in the manufacture of wall boards, paper, paints, plasters and cement. Gypsum is added to Portland cement to regulate the otherwise extreme setting reaction which occurs in the presence of water. The gypsum content of cement is expressed in terms of its sulphate (SO 3 ) content. Sulphate is a readily determined measure of gypsum in cement. Portland cement usually contains around 5% gypsum, which is equal to approximately 2.1% SO 3 . The maximum SO 3 content allowed by AS 3972 Portland and Blended Cements is 3.5%. As well as influencing the setting time, gypsum also has an influence on other properties of cement. The more important of these properties are strength, strength development and volume stability. Gypsum also influences the grindability of the cement, which is the grinding energy required to produce cement. THE EFFECT OF GYPSUM ON SETTI NG OF CEMENT The setting of cement involves the reaction of clinker minerals with water, to form a system of interlocking crystals, which lock the material together. The setting of cement is primarily due to the reaction of tricalcium aluminate (C 3 A), which is the most reactive of the four clinker minerals present in cement. The set regulating action of gypsum is due primarily to its reaction with C 3 A. In the absence of gypsum, the reaction of C 3 A with water is very rapid. The C 3 A is converted to calcium aluminate hydrate (4CaO.Al 2 O 3 .19H 2 O), which forms interlinking bridges of solid material between the cement particles. These interlinking bridges reduce the mobility of the cement particles and produce a firm structure, which results in setting of the cement mixture. This rapid setting is called a flash set and is irreversible. The presence of gypsum in cement slows the reaction of the C 3 A. When mixed with water, gypsum dissolves and reacts with C 3 A to form ettringite (3Ca0.Al 2 0 3 .3CaSO 4 . 32H 2 0). This ettringite is initially formed as very fine- grained crystals, which form a coating on the surface of the C 3 A particles (Figure 1). These crystals are too small to bridge the gaps between the particles of cement. The cement mix therefore remains plastic. After the initial hydration reactions of cement, a dormant period occurs during which the rate of hydration of cement is greatly reduced. During this dormant period, ettringite crystals continue to grow and eventually are large enough to impede the mobility of cement particles. At this stage setting occurs. Figure 1: First stage - formation of a thin cover of ettringite on the C 3 A surface Figure 2: Second stage - a further amount of ettringite is formed on the C 3 A surface A full explanation for this dormant period is still a matter of some conjecture. Different mechanisms have been proposed by researchers. The classical explanation is that the ettringite coating which covers the cement particles reduces contact between the cement and water thereby retarding hydration. However, this theory is being modified, as more data becomes available. THE EFFECT OF GYPSUM SOLUBI LI TY QCL GROUP QCL Group Technical Notes Page 2 The Role of Gypsum in Cement March 99 The rate of the reaction between C 3 A and gypsum depends on the availability of dissolved gypsum in the mixing water. Gypsum (CaSO 4 2H 2 0) is a chemically stable naturally occurring mineral of moderate solubility. When gypsum is heated however, it dehydrates and is converted to plaster of paris (CaSO 4 .H 2 0) and at higher temperatures anhydrite (CaSO 4 ). Both these dehydration products are significantly more soluble than gypsum. The dehydration of gypsum occurs at relatively low temperatures: 100 o C to 160 o C. Such temperatures can occur during the cement grinding process. Strict temperature controls are therefore exercised during the grinding process. Sustained high temperatures during the grinding of cement can result in the formation of significant quantities of plaster of paris and anhydrite. These minerals react readily with water to recrystallise as gypsum. This process is termed a false set, which, contrary to a flash set, is reversible. Extended or further mixing causes the stiffened cement paste to revert to a plastic state. OPTI MUM GYPSUM CONTENT The optimum gypsum content for a cement is dependent on a number of factors, chief among these are the C 3 A content, the reactivity of this C 3 A (which is a function of process, conditions, and trace elements present such as alkalis, strontium, etc), the solubility of the gypsum, and milling temperatures. The effect of gypsum on the setting time of a cement is demonstrated in Figures 3 and 4. The effect of C 3 A content is also shown. STRENGTH AND VOLUME STABI LI TY The addition of gypsum to cement increases the strength obtained and reduces shrinkage. However, the addition of excessive amounts of gypsum causes expansion to occur, which is why cement standards place a limit on the sulphate content. The level of gypsum at which expansion becomes a problem is dependent on the C 3 A content and fineness of the cement. Figures 5 and 6 show the effects of gypsum on compressive strength and shrinkage. Figure 3: Variation of setting time with gypsum content (6.2% C 3 A) Figure 4: Variation of setting time with gypsum content (13.2% C 3 A) Figure 5: Effect of gypsum content (as SO 3 ) on compressive strength Figure 6: Effect of gypsum content (as SO 3 ) on shrinkage