Effect of saccharides on the hydration of ordinary Portland cement

Recently, the use of natural fibres as a sustainable alternative for reinforcements in cement-based materials has increased significantly. However, these lignocellulose fibres containing saccharides can have important retarding effects on cement hydration. The objective of this study is to characterise the effect of different organic compounds present in lignocellulose fibres on the cement hydration reactions. For a better understanding of this process, sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose, lignin and cellulose have been added to a cement paste as well as leachates of fibres. Experimental results show that glucose, mannose and xylose in fibre leachates had a significant impact on the cement hydration, slowing down the hydration for up to 2 days.