Characterization of the white deposit on the surface of cement mortars by correlative light-electron microscopy (CLEM)

This study focuses on the characterization of white deposit occurring after wet/dry cycles on the surface of cement mortars presenting large amount of AFt phase. Correlative light-electron microscopy (CLEM) was confirmed to be a powerful method in characterizing and identifying microscopic visible white deposit that causes macroscopic visible surface whitening in those cement mortars. It was discovered that the white deposit formed after wet/dry cycles was caused by solids precipitated on the surface of cement mortars during hydration and/or on drying, and those solids were composed of CaCO₃, AFt, AFm or their solid solutions. Due to the resolution limit of the human eye, there is a threshold size 100 μm for the microscopic visible white deposit or its cluster to become macroscopic visible surface whitening. Partial covering of red pigments by the newly formed solids on the surface of the cement mortars further confirmed the relationship between the size and quantity of microscopic visible white deposit and macroscopic visible surface whitening.