TY - JOUR
T1 - Multiscale pore structure determination of cement paste via simulation and experiment
T2 - The case of alkali-activated metakaolin
AU - Yang, Kengran
AU - White, Claire E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - Alkali-activated metakaolin (AAMK) is a type of aluminosilicate-rich material often regarded as a potential alternative to ordinary Portland cement due to a smaller carbon footprint. However, the multiscale pore structure of AAMK, and how it is influenced by availability of free silica from the activator, remains largely unknown. Here, a Monte Carlo simulation approach is employed to generate the pore structure of AAMKs with different activator silicate moduli (SiO2/Na2O ratio). The simulation-derived pore size distributions are compared with experimental data obtained using nitrogen sorption (NAD) to assess the validity of the simulation results where qualitative agreement is obtained. The larger length scale pores in AAMKs are characterized using NAD and mercury intrusion porosimetry. This study stresses the importance of using complementary pore characterization techniques when investigating materials with multiscale pore structures, and shows the promise of the simulation approach to predict key transport properties of AAMKs and other cementitious materials.
AB - Alkali-activated metakaolin (AAMK) is a type of aluminosilicate-rich material often regarded as a potential alternative to ordinary Portland cement due to a smaller carbon footprint. However, the multiscale pore structure of AAMK, and how it is influenced by availability of free silica from the activator, remains largely unknown. Here, a Monte Carlo simulation approach is employed to generate the pore structure of AAMKs with different activator silicate moduli (SiO2/Na2O ratio). The simulation-derived pore size distributions are compared with experimental data obtained using nitrogen sorption (NAD) to assess the validity of the simulation results where qualitative agreement is obtained. The larger length scale pores in AAMKs are characterized using NAD and mercury intrusion porosimetry. This study stresses the importance of using complementary pore characterization techniques when investigating materials with multiscale pore structures, and shows the promise of the simulation approach to predict key transport properties of AAMKs and other cementitious materials.
KW - Amorphous aluminosilicate
KW - Coarse grained Monte Carlo
KW - Mercury intrusion porosimetry
KW - Nitrogen sorption
KW - Pore size distribution
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U2 - 10.1016/j.cemconres.2020.106212
DO - 10.1016/j.cemconres.2020.106212
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85090047368
SN - 0008-8846
VL - 137
JO - Cement and Concrete Research
JF - Cement and Concrete Research
M1 - 106212
ER -