THE INFLUENCE OF SOME LITHIUM SALTS ON THE SETTING AND HEAT LIBERATION CHARACTERISTICS OF PORTLAND CEMENT PASTE

In the fifties of the last century the ability of various substances to reduce or even suppress negative consequences of ASR was revealed. Most effective in reducing expansion due to ASR were some lithium salts. However, for practical use of lithium salts it is also necessary to know their influence on hydration, setting and hardening of cement. The compounds tested in our project were the carbonate, hydroxide and nitrate of lithium. The measurements of the initial and the final setting time and the heat of hydration indicated that the various compounds had different effects, e.g. the lithium carbonate caused a false acceleration of the paste stiffening at the very beginning of hydration and, on the contrary, lithium nitrate caused retardation.