What ingredients are used for cement?

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Posted on 18 April 2023

Are you wondering what ingredients are used for cement? If so, you’ll find out everything that you need to know right here. Once you’ve found out which ingredients are used to manufacture cement, you may wish to choose us whenever you need access to high-quality concrete in Rotherham or Doncaster.

Aren’t concrete and cement the same thing?

Many people wrongly use the terms “cement” and “concrete” interchangeably. However, cement is actually an ingredient of concrete. Cement is the primary binding agent for making concrete. Cement itself is made up of eight ingredients. These are lime, silica, alumina, magnesia, iron oxide, calcium sulphate, sulphur trioxide and alkaline.

The key eight ingredients used to create cement

Lime

Lime is also known as calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. The lime forms silicates and aluminates of calcium. If the cement mix does not have enough line, strength is compromised and it cement can set too quickly. If there is too much lime, the cement becomes unsound, and it can expand and disintegrate. The chemical formula of lime is CaO.

Silica

Silica is also known as silicon dioxide. Cement needs a good quantity of silica to ensure it is strong enough. Silica normally makes up around 30% of a cement mix. Silica’s chemical formula is SiO2.

Alumina

Another name for alumina is aluminium oxide. One of the purposes of alumina is to ensure that the cement sets quickly. Alumina also ensures that clinkering temperatures are not too high. However, too much alumina can weaken cement. The chemical formula of alumina is Al2O3.

Magnesia

Also known as magnesium oxide, magnesia’s chemical formula is MgO. Magnesia shouldn’t make up more than 2% of a cement mix. If the amount of magnesia in a cement mix exceeds this, it could compromise the strength of the cement.

Iron oxide

Iron oxide’s chemical formula is Fe2O3. The purpose of iron oxide is to act as a flux. It also adds colour to cement. When iron oxide is at a very high temperature, it becomes part of the chemical reaction with calcium and aluminium to create tricalcium alumino-ferrite. This imparts both strength and hardness to your concrete.

Calcium sulfate

Calcium sulfate has a chemical formula of CaSO4. The purpose of calcium sulfate is to slow down the setting of concrete.

Sulfur trioxide

Sulfur trioxide has a chemical formula of SO3. It’s very important that sulfur trioxide doesn’t make up more than 2% of your cement mix. Your mix will become unsound if more than 2% of it is made of sulfur trioxide.

Alkaline

Alkaline does play an important role in creating the ideal cement mix, but it shouldn’t make up more than 1% of it. If your cement mix has too much alkaline, efflorescence can occur. This is an undesirable white powdery substance that you may sometimes see on the surface of concrete.

Screed Suppliers in DoncasterConcrete suppliers in Rotherham and Doncaster

Now we’ve taken a look at the main ingredients used to create cement for concrete, you may be wondering who to choose when you need concrete suppliers in Rotherham or Doncaster. At Doncaster Quickmix, we can provide you with the ideal concrete mix for your specific requirements, at the right price. 

We have been a leading supplier of concrete to businesses and residential customers for many years. You can count on us to work closely alongside you to ensure your specific requirements are met. We can even provide concrete to you at short notice if required. Help is available whether you need your concrete delivered to your site or would rather pick up it yourself.

Who sources concrete from Doncaster Quickmix?

At Doncaster Quickmix, we are proud to serve a wide range of clients seeking high-quality concrete in the South Yorkshire region. Our clients include highway agencies, general contractors and local authorities. The concrete that we supply can last for many years and meets BS8500 standards. Working towards these recognised standards enables us to consistently deliver concrete of the highest calibre.

We are ready to serve you if you have been wondering “what ingredients are used for cement?” or need concrete manufacturing towards your specific needs. We produce all our concrete at our fully automated batching plant. The concrete that we create is ideal for everything from minor DIY tasks, installing new flooring and foundations to constructing large commercial car parks. Although we offer some of the best prices on the local market, you never need to worry about cutting corners or compromising on quality or integrity.

Low costs and quick delivery times

Another great reason for choosing us is that we’re on your doorstep if you’re based in Doncaster or Rotherham. This means we can keep delivery times short and costs low. We always aim to give you a specific, clear price and delivery time when you’re ordering your concrete so you know where you stand from the outset. Our website is home to a convenient concrete calculator which you can use to work out how much concrete you need.

At Doncaster Quickmix, we are incredibly proud of our exceptional customer service as well as our expertise in concrete production. We have access to specially-built concrete manufacturing resources that allow us to meet our customers’ requirements perfectly. Same-day services are normally available so you can source your concrete as quickly as possible.

Contact us

If you’ve been wondering what ingredients are used for cement and now need to find concrete suppliers in Rotherham or Doncaster, get in touch today. You can reach us today by completing the form on our website or by giving us a call on 01302 972997 or 01709 807977. Our expert customer service team can provide all the information and guidance that you need so you can order with confidence. There’s no better option available when you need access to high-quality concrete in the South Yorkshire region. 

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