Thehydrationoftricalciumaluminate(C3A)hasasignificanteffectontheeffectivenessofcement-basedsystems.Inaddition,thecarbonationofhydrationproductsofC3Aisparticularlyimportantinrespectofdurabilityperformance.ThepresentworkinvestigatesthehydrationandcarbonationreactionsofC3AandthechangesinducedbythepresenceoftheheavymetalionssuchasZn2+,Pb2+,Cu2+andCr3+byX-raydiffractometry(XRD).DuringhydrationofC3A,gehlenitehydrate,hydrogarnet,calciummonoaluminate(C4AHx)andcalciumcarboaluminateweredetectedinC3ApastesexcepttheZn2+dopedpaste,wherehydrogarnetdidnotform.Theexaminationsrevealedthatheavymetalscoexistedwithgehlenitehydrate,calciummonoaluminate(C4AHx)andcalciumcarboaluminate,inhibitingtheformationofhydrogarnet.HydratingC3Awasliabletobecarbonatedonexposuretoairandcarbondioxide,especiallyinthepresenceofheavymetals,resultingintheformationofcarboaluminateand/orcalciumcarbonate.Thepresenceofheavymetalsin-fluencedthepolymorphismofcalciumcarbonate,ndicatingthatheavymetalscouldco-precipitatewithcalciumtoformacarbonatesolidsolution.
