A study has been made on the inversion of dicalcium silicate. Specimens for the experiments have been prepared by heating an intimate mixture of 2 mol. of c. p. calcium carbonate and 1 mol. of c. p. silica for 2 to 8 hr. at temperatures ranging between 1400 and 1700°C. They have been quenched in ice-cold mercury and have been examined for microstructure, X-ray diffraction, thermal changes, etc. with the following results:
(1) Specimens made at 1500° and up have dusted less than those prepared at lower temperatures. All specimens quenched in ice-cold platinum crucible or in similar way have been mixtures of α-and γ dicalcium silicates.
(2) when the temperatures have been raised gradually over 1500°, the products quenched as said above have become poorer in γ modification and richer in α one, almost pure α dicalcium silicate being obtained at about 1700°.
(3) On cooling naturally, the products have to change completely to γ form, since α and β are only stable at 2130 to 1420° and 1420 to 675° resp. However, in facts, they have contained α form and pure γ form has never been given.
(4) Pure γ dicalcium silicate can be obtained from its mixtures with α form (a) by screening the products to collect dusted minute powder, (b) by reheating the products long at temperatures therein γ form is stable, say over 300 hr. at 550°, and also (c) by dissolving the α form off with water.
(5) As to thermal analysis, γ dicalcium silicate has indicated a strong endothermic reaction at 720±5° in heating up and a strong exothermic one at 690±5° in cooling down. These changes are probably due to γ_??_β inversion α 2CaO⋅SiO
2 and 3CaO⋅2SiO
2 have shown slight exothermal changes at temperatures between 600 and 700°; they owe probably to γ_??_β inversion of γ dicalcium silicate contamimated in the specimens.
(6) It may be concluded that α β and α γ transformation are sluggish inversions while β γ changes are very quick and are therefore high-low inversions.
(7) It is likely that synthetic 3CaO⋅2SiO
2 contain some γ dicalcium silicate and also that we have to investigate further on the problem whether tricalcium disilicate exists or not?.
View full abstract