We show that the drying rate of plaster pastes is significantly lower than that expected for a pure liquid evaporating from a simple homogeneous porous medium. This effect is enhanced by the air flow velocity and the initial solid/water ratio. Further tests under various conditions and with the help of additional techniques (MRI, ESEM, Micro-tomography) for measuring the drying rate and local characteristics (water content, porosity) prove that this effect is due to the crystallization of gypsum ions below the sample free surface, which creates a dry region and decreases the drying rate by increasing the length of the path that the vapour has to follow before reaching the free surface.
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