The cement clinker with the following phase composition: 60 wt.% C2S (belite), 20 wt.% C4A3Ś (calcium sulfoaluminate), 10 wt.% C4AF (feritte) and 10 wt.% CŚ (anhydrite) was synthesized. Two types of alkali (K2O and Na2O) were added to this clinker mixture in three different proportions (0,5, 1 oz. 2 wt.%). The main aim of this work was to determine the influence of the alkalis on the formation of main and minor phases, the ion substitutions and the influence on the microstructure and hydration rate of the clinker. It was found that the amount of C2S and C4AF increases with the addition of alkalis, while the amount of C4A3Ś and CŚ decreases. In addition, minor phases such as C3A (tricalcium aluminate), KŚ (arcanite) and KC2Ś3 (Ca-langbeinite) are formed in the samples with added alkalis. Furthermore, the ions were substituted by alkali cations and by some other ions (Ca2+, Al3+, Fe3+, S2-, S6+, Si4+). Alkalis also influence the size and shape of the main phases of belite-sulfoaluminate clinker. A higher amount of alkali generally reduces the C2S and C4AF grains and increases the C4A3Ś grains. In the reference sample, the C2S grains have a spherical shape, whereas in the alkali-added samples, subhedral and anhedral grains predominate. C4A3Ś grains are euhedral in reference sample and hexagonal in lower alkali samples, while subhedral and spherical grains predominate in the higher alkali samples. C4AF grains are euhedral in both the reference and lower alkali samples. These grains are usually long prismatic. With increasing alkali content they become subhedral. The size and shape of the C4A3Ś and C4AF grains are strongly influenced by the Al/Fe ratio. Alkalis also influence the hydration rate. The sample with the addition of 2 wt% K2O is most reactive, but the sample with the same amount of Na2O is the least reactive. The hydration rate is influenced not only by the number of main phases for clinker, but also by the presence of minor constituents (C3A, KŚ, KC2Ś3), the porosity of the clinker and the ratio of individual elements in the main phases.
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