CCT diagrams of tricalcium silicate decomposition

The mechanical properties of Portland cement are closely related to the chemical composition of the clinker, and particularly to the concentration of tricalcium silicate, C₃S. In the industrial production process, the clinker must be rapidly quenched, to avoid its decomposition into dicalcium silicate and lime and also to avoid the transformation from higher temperature phases to lower temperature phases. This study investigated the kinetics of thermal decomposition of the C₃S. Samples of laboratory-made C₃S were thermally treated under specific conditions to determine the continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram of the material. The CCT diagram of the C₃S showed decomposition rates with values that were much higher than the values traditionally accepted in the literature.