Modification of Composition and Microstructure of Portland Cement Pastes as a Result of Natural and Supercritical Carbonation Procedures

This study aims to analyze the effects of supercritical carbonation (CO2 at 20 MPa and 318 K) on the physicochemical properties of ordinary Portland cement pastes. The evolution of the main crystalline phases of the cement pastes during carbonation was determined by means of X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The pore structure was analyzed by low-temperature N2 adsorptiondesorption and mercury intrusion porosimetry techniques. Finally, the microstructure of the samples was observed by using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray detection for chemical analysis. For a natural carbonation process, diffusion of CO2 into the pores of the cement paste is considered as the rate-controlling step. Instead, the accelerated reaction kinetics of calcium carbonate precipitation in the supercritical process was chemically controlled by the detachment of calcium ions from solid portlandite or CSH gel. The total pore volume of the studied cement pastes decreased with carbonation, which was associated with the deposition of the formed CaCO3. Samples carbonated under the supercritical conditions developed a higher volume of gel pores than those obtained by natural carbonation.