Determination of Calcium Carbonate in Secondary Cement Products using the TOC-5000A Solid Sample TOC Analysis System

Introduction

Cement, whose best known representative is concrete, is a material essential for today's modern buildings with many kinds and types. It is anticipated that it will be further diversified in the future. It is well known that because cement is alkaline and contains large amounts of calcium, it slowly reacts with the carbon dioxide in the air to produce calcium carbonate, causing its characteristics to deteriorate (neutralization of concrete). Since the formation of calcium carbonate is an important factor affecting the durability of cement products, accurate determination of the amount of calcium carbonate is necessary in researches to improve the quality of cement products (e.g. development of surface treatment methods preventing carbonation). Here we present an example of the Shimadzu TOC-5000A Solid Sample TOC Analysis System being put to use for this purpose.

June 29, 2001 GMT