Types of Cement Under the Microscope

Types of Cement Under the Microscope

Several types of cement are characterized under the microscope based on the presence and abundance of certain cement minerals. 

Standard Cement/ Portland Cement
-Relatively coarse-grained alite (C3S) grain often many and large agglomerates of belite (C2S) and ferrite (C4AF) .

Rapid Hardening Cement (ASTM Type III)
-Looks like Portland Cement but more fine grained and generally no agglomerates of belite (C2S) present. Often a high amount of Hadley holes. It is a certain type of Portland cement typically used in concrete construction to develop high strength earlier than Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). 

White cement
-contains alite (C3S), minor belite (C2S) and only very little ferrite (C4AF), making the paste looks white. Also known as snowcrete. It is the same as ordinary gray Portland cement except in respect to color and fineness.

Aluminate Cement
- is based on aluminate (and ferrite) giving the paste an orange color.