Lime (material)

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(Redirected from Lime (mineral))
For other uses, see Lime (disambiguation).
Limestone quarry in Brnny, Norway

Lime is a calcium-containing inorganic material in which carbonates, oxides,

and hydroxides predominate. In the strict sense of the term, lime is calcium
oxide or calcium hydroxide. It is also the name of the natural mineral (native
lime) CaO which occurs as a product of coal seam fires and in altered
limestone xenoliths in volcanic ejecta.[1] The word "lime" originates with its
earliest use as building mortar and has the sense of "sticking or adhering".[2]
These materials are still used in large quantities as building and engineering
materials (including limestone products, concrete, and mortar), as chemical
feedstocks, and for sugar refining, among other uses. Lime industries and the
use of many of the resulting products date from prehistoric times in both the
Old World and the New World. Lime is used extensively for wastewater
treatment with ferrous sulfate.

The rocks and minerals from which these materials are derived, typically
limestone or chalk, are composed primarily of calcium carbonate. They may
be cut, crushed or pulverized and chemically altered. "Burning" (calcination)
converts them into the highly caustic material "quicklime" (calcium oxide,
CaO) and, through subsequent addition of water, into the less caustic (but
still strongly alkaline) "slaked lime" or "hydrated lime" (calcium hydroxide,
Ca(OH)2), the process of which is called "slaking of lime". Lime kilns are the
kilns used for lime burning and slaking.

When the term is encountered in an agricultural context, it usually refers to

agricultural lime, which is crushed limestone, not a product of a lime kiln.
Otherwise it most commonly means slaked lime, as the more dangerous form
is usually described more specifically as quicklime or "burnt lime".

Contents

1 Production
2 The Quicklime Cycle
3 Building materials
3.1 Roman concrete
4 As a food
5 See also
6 Further reading
7 References
8 External links

Production

In the lime industry, limestone is a general term for rocks that contain 80% or
more of calcium or magnesium carbonates, including marble, chalk, oolite,
and marl. Further classification is by composition as high calcium,
argillaceous (clayey), silicious, conglomerate, magnesian, dolomite, and other
limestones.[3] Uncommon sources of lime include coral, sea shells, calcite,
and ankerite.

Limestone is extracted from quarries or mines. Part of the extracted stone,

selected according to its chemical composition and optical granulometry, is
calcinated at about 1,000 C (1,830 F) in different types of lime kilns to
produce quicklime according to the reaction: CaCO3 + heat CaO + CO2.

Before use, quicklime is hydrated, that is combined with water, called slaking,
so hydrated lime is also known as slaked lime, and is produced according to
the reaction: CaO + H2O Ca(OH)2. "Dry slaking" is when quicklime is
slaked with just enough water to hydrate the quicklime, but remain as a
powder and is referred to as hydrated lime. In "wet slaking", enough water,
but not too much, is added to hydrate the quicklime to a form referred to as
lime putty.

Because lime has an adhesive property with bricks and stones, it is often
used as binding material in masonry works. It is also used in whitewashing as
wall coat to adhere the whitewash onto the wall.
The Quicklime Cycle
The lime cycle for high-calcium lime

The process by which limestone (calcium carbonate) is converted to

quicklime by heating, then to slaked lime by hydration, and naturally reverts
to calcium carbonate by carbonation is called the lime cycle.[4] The
conditions and compounds present during each step of the lime cycle have a
strong influence of the end product,[5] thus the complex and varied physical
nature of lime products.

An example is when slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) is mixed into a thick

slurry with sand and water to form mortar for building purposes. When the
masonry has been laid, the slaked lime in the mortar slowly begins to react
with carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate (limestone) according to the
reaction: Ca(OH)2 + CO2 CaCO3 + H2O. The carbon dioxide that takes part
in this reaction is principally available in the air or dissolved in rainwater[6] so
pure lime mortar will not recarbonate under water or inside a thick masonry
wall.

The lime cycle for dolomitic and magnesium lime is not well understood[5]
but more complex because the magnesium compounds also slake to
periclase which slake slower than calcium oxide and when hydrated produce
several other compounds thus these limes contain inclusions of portlandite,
brucite, magnesite, and other magnesium hydroxycarbonate compounds.
These magnesium compounds have very limited, contradictory research
which questions whether they "...may be significantly reactive with acid rain,
which could lead to the formation of magnesium sulfate salts."[7] Magnesium
sulfate salts may damage the mortar when they dry and recrystalize due to
expansion of the crystals as they form which is known as sulfate attack.
Building materials

Lime used in building materials is broadly classified as "pure", "hydraulic",

and "poor" lime;[8] can be natural or artificial; and may be further identified
by its magnesium content such as dolomitic or magnesium lime. Uses include
lime mortar, lime plaster, lime render, lime-ash floors, tabby concrete,
whitewash, silicate mineral paint, and limestone blocks which may be of
many types. The qualities of the many types of processed lime affect how
they are used. The Romans used two types of lime mortar to make Roman
concrete, which allowed them to revolutionize architecture, sometimes called
the Concrete Revolution.

Lime has many complex qualities as a building product including workability

which includes cohesion, adhesion, air content, water content, crystal shape,
board-life, spreadability, and flowability; bond strength; comprehensive
strength; setting time; sand-carrying capacity; hydrolocity; free lime content;
vapor permeability; flexibility; and resistance to sulfates. These qualities are
affected by many factors during each step of manufacturing and installation,
including the original ingredients of the source of lime; added ingredients
before and during firing including inclusion of compounds from the fuel
exhaust; firing temperature and duration; method of slaking including a hot
mix (quicklime added to sand and water to make mortar), dry slaking and wet
slaking; ratio of the mixture with aggregates and water; the sizes and types
of aggregate; contaminants in the mixing water; workmanship; and rate of
drying during curing.[9]

Pure lime is also known as fat, rich, common, air, slaked, slack, pickling,
hydrated, and high calcium lime. It consists primarily of calcium hydroxide
which is derived by slaking quicklime (calcium oxide), and may contain up to
5% of other ingredients. Pure lime sets very slowly through contact with
carbon dioxide in the air and moisture; it is not a hydraulic lime so it will not
set under water. Pure lime is pure white and can be used for whitewash,
plaster, and mortar. Pure lime is soluble in water containing carbonic acid, a
natural, weak acid which is a solution of carbon dioxide in water and acid rain
so it will slowly wash away, but this characteristic also produces autogenous
or self-healing process where the dissolved lime can flow into cracks in the
material and be redeposited, automatically repairing the crack.

Semi-hydraulic lime, also called partially hydraulic and grey lime, sets initially
with water and then continues to set with air. This lime is similar to hydraulic
lime but has less soluble silica (usually minimum 6%) and aluminates, and
will set under water but will never harden.[10]

Hydraulic lime is also called water lime. Hydraulic lime contains lime with
silica and/or alumina and sets with exposure to water and can set under
water.[11] Natural hydraulic lime (NHL) is made from a limestone which
naturally contains some clay. Artificial hydraulic lime is made by adding forms
of silica and/or alumina such as clay to the limestone during firing, or by
adding a pozzolana to pure lime.[10] Hydraulic limes are classified by their
strength: feebly, moderately and eminently hydraulic lime. Feebly hydraulic
lime contains 5-10% clay, slakes in minutes, and sets in about three weeks. It
is used for less expensive work and in mild climates. Moderately hydraulic
lime contains 11-20% clay, slakes in one to two hours, and sets in
approximately one week. It is used for better quality work and exterior walls
in freezing climates. Eminently hydraulic lime contains 21-30% clay, slakes
very slowly, and sets in approximately a day. It is used in harsh environments
such as damp locations and near saltwater. Hydraulic lime is off-white in
color. "The degree of hydraulicity of mortars will affect many characteristics.
By selecting an appropriate ratio of clay to limestone mortars that carbonate
or set hydraulically to a varying extents can be designed for particular
application requirements such as setting time, strength, colour, durability,
frost resistance, workability, speed of set in the presence of water, vapour
permeability etc."[11]

Poor lime is also known as lean or meager lime. Poor lime sets and cures very
slowly and has weak bonding. Poor lime is grey in color.

Magnesium lime contains more than 5% magnesium oxide (BS 6100) or 535% magnesium carbonate (ASTM C 59-91).[12] Dolomitic lime has a high
magnesium content of 35-46% magnesium carbonate (ASTM C 59-91)[12]
Dolomitic lime is named for the Dolomite Mountains in the Italian and
Austrian Alps.[13]

In the United States the most commonly used masonry lime is Type S
hydrated lime which is intended to be added to Portland cement to improve
plasticity, water retention and other qualities. The S in type S stands for
special which distinguishes it from Type N hydrated lime where the N stands
for normal. The special attributes of Type S are its "...ability to develop high,
early plasticity and higher water retentivity and by a limitation on its
unhydrated oxide content."[14] The term Type S originated in 1946 in ASTM C
207 Hydrated Lime for Masonry Purposes. Type S lime is almost always

dolomitic lime, hydrated under heat and pressure in an autoclave, and used
in mortar, render, stucco, and plaster. Type S lime is not considered reliable
as a pure binder in mortar due to high burning temperatures during
production.

Kankar lime, a lime made from kankar which is a form of calcium carbonate.

Selenitic lime, also known as Scotts' cement after Henry Young Darracott
Scott is a cement of grey chalk or similar lime, such as in the Lias Group, with
about 5% added gypsum plaster (calcined gypsum).[10] Selenite is a type of
gypsum, but selenitic cement may be made using any form of sulfate or
sulfuric acid.[15] Sulphate arrests slaking, causes the cement to set quickly
and stronger.
Roman concrete

The Romans made concrete by mixing lime and volcanic rock. For underwater
structures, lime and volcanic ash were mixed to form mortar, and this mortar
and volcanic tuff were packed into wooden forms. The seawater instantly
triggered an exothermic chemical reaction. The lime was hydrated
incorporating water molecules into its structure and reacted with the ash to
cement the whole mixture together.[16]
As a food

In India and surrounding countries Lime (locally called "Choona") is eaten raw
in a dish (mouth freshner) called "Paan". Calcium can be obtained from the
lime which humans need.
See also

Agricultural lime and Liming (soil)

Animal glue#Hide glue
Calcisol (soil type)
Eco-cement

Lime softening (water treatment)

Limelight
Limewater
Liming (leather processing)
Plastering
Sascab: a building and paving material (Central America)
Soda-lime glass
Lime mortar

Further reading

J.A.H. Oates, Projet de. Lime and Limestone Chemistry and Technology,
Production and Uses. Wiley-VCH, ISBN 3-527-29527-5 (1998)
US Geological Survey

References

Lime in Handbook of Mineralogy

Etymonline.com
Lazell, Ellis Warren. Hydrated lime; history, manufacture and uses in plaster,
mortar, concrete; a manual for the architect, engineer, contractor and
builders. Pittsburgh: Jackson-Remlinger Printing Co., 1915. 21. Print.
Johnspeweik.com
Krzysztof Kudacz, "Phase Transitions Within the Lime Cycle: Implications in
Heritage Conservation" Thesis. April, 2013. University of Granada.
British Lime Association
Heather Hartshorn, "Dolomitic Lime Mortars: Carbonation Complications and
Susceptibility to Acidic Sulfates" Thesis. May 2012. Columbia University

Rajput, R. K.. Engineering Material: (Including Construction Materials). 3rd ed.

New Delhi: S. Chand & Co. Ltd. 2006. 74. Print
S. Pavia and S. Caro, "Petrographic Microscope Investigation of Mortar and
Ceramic Technologies for the Conservation of the Built Heritage"
Heath, A. H.. A manual on lime and cement, their treatment and use in
construction.. London: E. & F.N. Spon;, 1893. 6. Print.
John W Harrison, "Carbonating and Hydraulic Mortars - the difference is not
only in the binder. Aggregates are also important."
Hewlett, Peter C.. Leas chemistry of cement and concrete. 4. ed. Amsterdam:
Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, 2004. 27. Print.
Heather Hartshorn, "Dolomitic Lime Mortars: Carbonation Complications and
Susceptibility to Acidic Sulfates" Thesis 2012 Columbia University
ASTM C 207 quoted in Margaret L. Thomson, "Why is Type S Hydrated Lime
Special?". International Building Lime Symposium 2005. Orlando, Florida,
March 9 -11, 2005
Smith, Percy Guillemard Llewellin. Notes on building construction: arranged to
meet the requirements of the syllabus of the Science & Art Department of the
Committee of Council on Education, South Kensington .... 2nd ed. London:
Rivingtons, 1879. Print.

"Roman Seawater Concrete Holds the Secret to Cutting Carbon Emissions".

Berkeley Lab. Retrieved 14 June 2013.

External links
Look up lime in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

The National Lime Association (US & Canada)

The British Lime Association
The European Lime Association (EULA)
Glossary by Robert W. Piwarzyk, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Ca

Authority control

NDL: 00570622

Categories:

Building materialsCalcium mineralsLimestoneOxide

mineralsPlasteringAlchemical substances

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