Effect of temperature and aluminium on calcium (alumino)silicate hydrate chemistry under equilibrium conditions

There exists limited information regarding the effect of temperature on the structure and solubility of calcium aluminosilicate hydrate (C–A–S–H). Here, calcium (alumino)silicate hydrate (C–(A–)S–H) is synthesised at Ca/Si = 1, Al/Si ≤ 0.15 and equilibrated at 7–80 °C. These systems increase in phase-purity, long-range order, and degree of polymerisation of C–(A–)S–H chains at higher temperatures; the most highly polymerised, crystalline and cross-linked C–(A–)S–H product is formed at Al/Si = 0.1 and 80 °C. Solubility products for C–(A–)S–H were calculated via determination of the solid-phase compositions and measurements of the concentrations of dissolved species in contact with the solid products, and show that the solubilities of C–(A–)S–H change slightly, within the experimental uncertainty, as a function of Al/Si ratio and temperature between 7 °C and 80 °C. These results are important in the development of thermodynamic models for C–(A–)S–H to enable accurate thermodynamic modelling of cement-based materials.