Modeling of the interaction between hydration and carbonation on reaction kinetics at early age

Understanding the interaction between hydration and carbonation during the curing period is crucial for improving carbonation efficiency and material properties. This study proposes a theoretical formulation for the kinetics of hydration and carbonation reactions at an early age. Starting from the micromechanisms of surface reactions and governing reaction equations, the coupling effects between hydration and carbonation reactions with the curing time were explored. The proposed model is validated using relevant experimental data. The results demonstrate that the model is able to capture all the basic experimental phenomena, including 1) the chemical reaction rate, 2) ultimate reaction degree, 3) evolution of heat release, 4) evolution of chemically bound water, 5) evolution of evaporable water content, and especially 6) intertwined effects of hydration, carbonation and the aforementioned aspects. The proposed model is suitable for computer simulations needed to optimize curing schemes and carbonation approaches, enabling efficient carbon capture at a low cost.