Liquid cell transmission electron microscopy reveals C-S-H growth mechanism during Portland cement hydration

We report the first application of in-situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (LC-TEM) to research hydration reactions of nano OPC, providing nanoscale insight into early reaction mechanisms. We demonstrate that the formation and growth of C-S-H precipitates starts through lateral growth of planar silicate sheets, but soon continues in all directions resulting in a 3D microstructure. Furthermore, nanocrystalline C-S-H structures with sizes between 5 nm to 10 nm were observed inside the amorphous or highly disordered C-S-H matrix, denoting that C-S-H growth is conformed to layered structure model. Crack formation and propagation inside C-S-H precipitates confirms the presence of increasing lattice strain due to growing defects that limits the growth of a fully crystalline structure by buckling and separating the sheets. The rolling up and crumbling of C-S-H sheets promotes the formation of new embryos, leading to the growth of precipitates in all direction and finally their coalescence.