Scanning Electron Microscopy Imaging of Hydraulic Cement Microstructure

Published

November 1, 2004

Author(s)

Paul E. Stutzman

Abstract

Microscopy of portland cement clinker and cementitous materials dates to the first petrographic microscope in the late 19th century. The development of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) with x-ray microanalysis allows the petrographer to study cements, measuring bulk phase abundance and surface areas of the constituent phases, as well as bulk chemistry of constituent phases. These data are being applied in developing better relationships between the cement material properties and performance properties and are utilized as starting materials in the development of a cement hydration simulation model being developed at NIST. Direct imaging of hydraulic cements by electron microscopy yields a more accurate and complete picture of both bulk and surface phase compositions, which should provide new insights into early-age hydration characteristics, cement chemical admixture interactions, and aid in engineering new hydraulic cements. The ability to better describe cement compositional and textural characteristics promises to make cements a more predictable material.

Citation

Cement and Concrete Composites

Volume

26

Issue

No. 8

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

cement, concrete, microstructure, scanning electron microscopy

Citation

Stutzman, P. (2004), Scanning Electron Microscopy Imaging of Hydraulic Cement Microstructure, Cement and Concrete Composites, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=860559 (Accessed April 24, 2024)