Gypsum board dehydration kinetics at autogenous water vapour partial pressure

In this paper, the dehydration kinetics of a commercial gypsum board, at autogenous water vapour partial pressure, are investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements, under non isothermal conditions and in an inert atmosphere, were carried out at temperatures up to 300 °C, with different heating rates. Samples of deionized water and commercial gypsum board, in conjunction with pin hole lid crucibles, were used in order to study the evaporation of the free moisture and the dehydration of the chemically bound water at autogenous water vapour pressure conditions. Model-free and model-fitting approaches were used for the definition of the kinetic parameters of the examined reactions.