Microstructure modification of carbonated cement paste with six kinds of modern microscopic instruments

The authors studied the solid-phase composition and morphology, pore structure, damage, and deterioration of microstructure, and nano-mechanical properties of cementitious materials in accelerated carbonation reaction. The solid-phase composition and morphology were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The characteristic of pore structure was obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests. Furthermore, the damage deterioration of microstructure was detected by X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Finally, the nano-mechanical properties were investigated by nanoindentation. These microstructure parameters have paved more precise way for the carbonation model.