The calcium leaching behavior of cement paste and silica fume modified calcium hydroxide paste, exposed to hydrochloric acid solution, is reported in this paper. The kinetic of degradation was assessed by the changes of pH of hydrochloric acid solution with time. The changes of compressive strength of specimens in hydrochloric acid with time were tested. Hydration products of leached specimens were also analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric (TG), and atomic force microscope (AFM). Tests results show that there is a dynamic equilibrium in the supply and consumption of calcium hydroxide in hydrochloric acid solution, which govern the stability of hydration products such as calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). The decrease of compressive strength indicates that C-S-H are decomposed due to the lower concentration of calcium hydroxide in the pore solution than the equilibrium concentration of the hydration products. Furthermore, the hydration of unhydrated clinker delayed the decomposition of C-S-H in hydrochloric acid solution due to the increase of calcium hydroxide in pore solution of cementitious materials.
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