The principal product of cement hydration is calcium silicate hydrate, an amorphous binding phase that plays a central role in the mechanical performance of concrete. Its poorly ordered structure makes it hallenging to characterize with conventional diffraction-based techniques. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy offers a powerful and complementary approach, as it probes the local environments of individual nuclei and is therefore suited for studying materials regardless of their degree of crystallinity.
The presentation will provide an application-focused overview of how solid-state NMR can be used to assess the structural changes in cementitious materials exposed to chemically aggressive conditions, particularly in environments rich in sulfate and chloride ions.