Optimization of technological parameters for obtaining mineral additives based on calcined clays and carbonate rocks for cement systems

Introduction. The management of physical and chemical processes of structure formation of high performance cement composites can be provided at several scale levels through the use of modifiers of various nature and mechanism of action, in particular, micro- and nanoscale mineral additives of natural and technogenic origin. It is known that clays and carbonate rocks are promising raw materials to obtain mineral modifiers for cement systems. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence regularities of the prescription and technological parameters (material and granulometric compositions, temperature calcination) to obtain mineral additives based on calcined clays and carbonate rocks on their activity in cement systems. Methods and materials. Polymineral clays and carbonate rocks (dolomite and chalk) from several deposits of the Republic of Mordovia were used as raw materials for obtaining mineral additives. The specific surface area of modifiers was determined on the PSX-12 dispersion analysis device using the Kozeny-Carman method. The study of the granulometric composition of sedimentary rock powders was carried out by laser diffraction method. The research of physical-chemical processes occurring during the heat treatment of polymineral clays and carbonate rocks was carried out using the synchronous thermal analysis method. Optimization of calcination temperature of clay-carbonate mixtures was carried out based on the research results on the effect of their additives on the cement binder activity with the determination of the modifier activity index in accordance with the methodology of the Russian State Standard GOST R 56178-2014. Results and discussion. The optimum calcination temperature, located for polymineral clays in the area of 500–800оC, was established according to the study results of dehydration processes of clay minerals using the synchronous thermal analysis. This temperature range corresponds to the initial restructuring processes in the crystal structure of minerals of the kaolinite and illite groups, associated with their dehydroxylation, which contributes to the transition of these phases to the active form. The study results of influence of additives of calcined clay-carbonate mixtures on the cement binder activity proved the thermal analysis data. It was found that calcination of clays and clay-carbonate mixtures at 700°C contributes to obtaining of the most effective mineral modifiers. Conclusions. On the totality of studies, regularities were revealed in the system “modifier composition – calcination temperature of sedimentary rocks – mixed binder activity”, which allow optimizing the prescription and technological parameters for obtaining mineral additives to achieve the required level of strength characteristics of cement composites.