1H NMR Spin-Lattice Relaxometry of Cement Pastes with Polycarboxylate Superplasticizers

1H spin-lattice relaxometry (T1, longitudinal) of cement pastes with 0 to 0.18 wt % polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) at intervals of 0.06 wt % from 10 min to 1210 min was investigated. Results showed that the main peak in T1 relaxometry of cement pastes was shorter and lower along with the hydration times. PCEs delayed and lowered this main peak in T1 relaxometry of cement pastes at 10 min, 605 min and 1210 min, which was highly correlated to its dosages. In contrast, PCEs increased the total signal intensity of T1 of cement pastes at these three times, which still correlated to its dosages. Both changes of the main peak in T1 relaxometry and the total signal intensity of T1 revealed interferences on evaporable water during cement hydration by dispersion mechanisms of PCEs. The time-dependent evolution of weighted average T1 of cement pastes with different PCEs between 10 min and 1210 min was found regular to the four-stage hydration mechanism of tricalcium silicate.