Hydration Kinetics of Portland Cement–Silica Fume Binary System at Low Temperature

Portland cement–silica fume binary cementitious materials are widely used in engineering construction and have been investigated from micro- to macroscopic aspects. However, the theoretical background on the hydration kinetics of the binary system has not been sufficiently covered in the literature. In this study, the hydration dynamic characteristics of the Portland cement–silica fume binary system curing at low temperature were investigated. Hydration kinetics equations were optimized and a hydration model followed by a computer program was developed to calculate the reaction rate constant K and the reaction order n. This model presented that the hydration process of the binary system at low temperature could be divided into three stages, namely, nucleation and growth (NG), interactions at phase boundaries (I), and diffusion (D). The n values for the binary system varied in the range of 1.2 to 1.6, indicating that the hydration of the binary system at low temperature was a complex elementary reaction. Silica fume can reduce the total heat at the later stage of the hydration and the reaction order n, but increase the heat flow at the accelerating stage and the hydration rate constant K. Low temperature prolonged the hydration induction period, decreased and delayed the secondary exothermic peak, as well as reduced the n and K value.