Advances of alkanolamine in hydration of Portland cement

As a common grinding aid in cement mills, alkanolamine can significantly reduce the energy consumption and enhance cement property. When alkanolamine is used as a cement chemical additive, it will change the hydration characteristics of the cement bonds and hardening properties. However, the effect of alkanolamine on the hydration of Portland cement, from the hydration process to the setting mechanism, have not been well understood. Herein, this research attempts to explore the working mechanism of alkanolamine in the process of cement hydration. In the first part, the molecular structures of several alkanolamines were summarized. The second part is to understand the research progress of alkanolamine in early hydration chemistry, focusing on the ability of changing the aluminate-silicate balance in Portland cement system. In the third part, the effect of various alkanolamines in the whole process of setting and hardening of Portland cement system was clarified. The fourth part discussed the influence of accelerators on the establishment of cement hydration kinetics model. Last, this review also gives some perspectives for potential future use and development of alkanolamines.