Talc-based cementitious products: Effect of talc calcination

This study reports the use of calcined talc for cementitious products making. The calcination is used to enhance the availability of magnesium from talc to react with phosphate for cement phase formation. It is shown that previous calcination of talc leads to products having enhanced mechanical performance due to the formation of more cement phase than in products based on raw talc. Talc fired at 900 degrees C was found to be the one in which magnesium release was maximal. Firing at temperature higher than 900 degrees C leads to the stabilization of enstatite, which decreased the magnesium availability. The cement phase is struvite, which was better detected on the X-ray patterns of the products involving fired talc. All the products have very rapid setting time and low shrinkage. (C) 2015 The Ceramic Society of Japan and the Korean Ceramic Society. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.