Abstract
Although various theories have been presented on the mechanism of setting retardation of 3CaO·Al2O3, this phenomenon has not yet been defined. The present investigation was initiated in order to solve the mechanism from the view point of coordination chemistry. The solubility of Ca(OH)2 in aquous solution of soldium gluconate was abnormally high, and was proportional to the concentration of sodium gluconate. These phenomena were attributed to the soluble complex formation, that is, (1 : 1)Ca complex formation between calcium ion and gluconate ion. The author's proposal was further confirmed by the results of electrical conductivity measurement. The formation of calcium complex was also supported by IR spectra and DTA. When sodium gluconate was dissolved in 3CaO·Al2O3 suspension, calcium complex and aluminum complex were formed. As an experimental evidence, the asymmetric stretching vibration of carboxyl group in sodium gluconate was observed to be shifted to lower frequency from 1625cm-1 to 1585cm-1 characteristically. The characteristic exothermic peaks of the complexs at 430℃ and 700℃ observed in DTA curve also suggest the formation of the complexs between sodium gluconate and 3CaO·Al2O3.