Clays most commonly used in the production of pozzolans are kaolinites, montmorilonites and ilites.

Investigations conducted by a number of researchers showed that clays from the kaolinite group present the greatest pozzolanic activity after calcining when compared to those from other groups [3,4]
Kaolinite, because it does not absorb water, does not expand when it comes in contact with water. Thus, kaolinite is the preferred type of clay for the ceramic industry. Montmorillinite can expand by several times its original volume when it comes in contact with water. This makes it useful as a drilling mud (to keep drill holes open), and to plug leaks in soil, rocks, and dams. illite clays are non-expanding clays. [3] Ambroise J, Murat M, Pera J. Hydration reaction and hardening of calcined clays and related minerals. VExtension of the research and general conclusions. Cem Concr Res 1985;15:2618. [4] He C, Osbaeck B, Makovicky E. Pozzolanic reactions of six principal clay minerals activation, reactivity assessments and technological effects. Cem Concr Res 1995;25:1691702.

Most of natural pozzolans develop their activity from clay minerals such as kaolinite, montmorillonite, illite, etc. Each clay has an optimum calcination temperature range that causes breakdown of crystalline structure of the clay and formation of amorphous silica and alumina.

Pozzolans are siliceous or siliceous and aluminous materials, which in themselves possess little or no cementitious value, but will, in finely divided form and in the presence of moisture, chemically react with calcium hydroxide at ordinary temperatures to form compounds possessing cementitious properties.
The above statement can be simply expressed in the following chemical reactions. Cement + H2O = Paste + Ca(OH)2 Pozzolan + H2O = slurry Pozzolan + Ca(OH)2 + H2O = cementitious products Pozzolanic materials by virtue of the reactions illustrated above convert the calcium hydroxide into cementitious material and therefore lead to improved strength and durability of the cement-based system.

Natural Pozzolans are typically clay-based materials that originate naturally or are modified by thermal activation such as drying or calcination. They vary in chemical composition and physical characteristics such as size and size distribution, surface area, crystallinity, color and therefore result in varying pozzolanic activity, color & performance. METAKAOLINS AND METAKAOLIN (HRM) HIGH REACTIVITY

Metakaolin is a chemical phase that forms upon thermal treatment of kaolinite. Kaolinites chemical composition is Al2O3:2SiO2. 2H2O and as a result of thermal treatment in the range of 400-500oC, the water is driven away to form an amorphous aluminosilicate called metakaolin. The temperature range depends on the kaolin (kaolinite with minor impurities) characteristics such as degree of crystallinity and particle size.

Hidratacin del cemento

HIDRATACION
ARENA CEMENTO

ARENA CEMENTO
CEMENTO

CEMENTO

CEMENTO

CEMENTO

ARENA

CEMENTO

ARENA
ARENA

CEMENTO

ARENA

HIDROLISIS
CaO CaO
CaO

HIDRATACION 2da. FASE

CaO

SiO2 Fe2O3 SiO2 CaO CaO

SiO2 Fe2O3 SiO2 CaO CaO

CaO S-C-H CaO

CaO

CaO

Solucin

Ca(OH)2

SiO2

Ca(OH)2

SiO2

CaO

CaO

Hidratacin del cemento

Cristales de SCH (Gel de tobermorita [3CaO2SiO23H2O)

HIDRATACION 3ra. FASE
HIDRATACION 2da. FASE
CaO CaO

HIDRATACION 3ra. FASE

HIDRATACION 3ra. FASE

SiO2 Fe2O3 SiO2 CaO CaO

CaO

CaO Ca(OH)2 SiO2

CaO

Portlandita

(Ca(OH)2)

Componentes principales del Cemento portland

Compuestos qumicos C3S Silicato triclcico (3CaOSiO2 monoclinico)
(Resistencias iniciales, el ms abundante)

C2S Silicato diclcico (2CaOSiO2 monoclinico)

(Resistencias a largo plazo, el segundo en abundancia)

C3A Aluminato triclcico (3CaOAl2O3-cbico,ortorrombico)

(Importante para el tiempo de fraguado)

C4AF Ferro aluminato tetraclcico -(3CaOAl2O3Fe2O3 ortorrombico)

(Poco reactivo, no contribuye a las resistencia)

Reacciones de hidratacin del cemento portland:

Composicin qumica del metacaoln

Composicin qumica (% en peso) SiO2 58.9 51.6 TiO2 1.0 1.61 Al2O3 24.8 44.8 Fe2O3 4.9 0.5 MnO 0.01 0.04 MgO 0.87 0.13 CaO 3.23 0.05 Na2O 0.45 0.2 K2O 1.18 0.16 P2O5 0.07 0.06

Material Fly Ash Metacaolin

CP

18.1

--

5.6

2.4

--

2.4

61.9

0.18

0.99

--

El fly Ash y el metacaolin son materiales amorfos y no tienen estructura cristalina. Sin embargo, el cemento Portland CP si tiene fases cristalinas.

Reaccin entre la solucin puzolnica y la portlandita, crendose una adherencia qumica y conservndose un pH alto:
rCa(OH)2+nSiO2+mAl2O3+xH2O=CxSyHm+CxAySzHm