Determination of the optimum parameters in the high resolution thermogravimetric analysis (HRTG) for cementitious materials

In this article, the methodology to implementation of high resolution thermogravimetric analysis (HRTG) for construction materials like Portland cement pastes is presented. The aim of this technique is to make easier the identification of the decomposition reactions that frequently are overlapping on conventional thermogravimetric analysis (TG) like is the case of some mineral phases in the cement pastes. The optimum parameters related to sample mass and purge flow gas were established. It is necessary carried out the analysis with high quantity of sample (60 mg in this case) and without purge gas in order to get better results and excellent reproducibility. The tests have average heating rate higher than 3 °C min -1 in the temperature range studied (35-300 °C), showing that the HRTG is not time-expensive technique. © 2010 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.