Resistance of Cementitious Binders against a Fall in the pH at Corrosion Initiation

At the onset of corrosion of steel in concrete, hydrogen ions usually evolve in the process of electrochemical reaction, thereby decreasing the pH of the pore solution, which can be buffered by cement hydration products, as being representatively illustrated by calcium hydroxide. Hence, a fall in the pH is dependent on properties of cement hydration (i.e. hydration products and degree of hydration). The present study tested acid neutralization capacity (ANC) of cementitious binders of OPC(Ordinary Portland Cement), 30% PFA(Pulverized Fuel Ash), 60% GGBS(Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag), 10% SF(Silica Fume) to quantify the resistance of cement matrix to a pH fall. Cement pastes were cast at 0.4 of a free W/C ratio with 1.5% chlorides by weight of binder in cast. Powder samples obtained crushed and ground specimen after 200 days of curing were diluted in still water combined with different levels of 1M nitric acid solution, ranging from 0.5 to 20 mol/kg. Then, the pH of diluted solution was monitored until any further change in the pH did not take place. It was seen that the pH of the diluted solution gradually decreased as the molar amount of nitric acid increased. At some particular values of the pH, however, a decrease in the pH was marginal, which can be expressed in the peak resistances to a pH fall in the ANC curve. The peaks occurred at the variations in the pH, depending on binder type, but commonly at about 12.5 in the pH, indicate a resistance of precipitated calcium hydroxide. The measurement of water soluble chloride at the end of test showed that the amount of free chloride was significantly increased at the pH corresponding to the peaks in the ANC curve, which may reflect the adsorption of hydration products to chlorides.