Differences in the rheological properties of calcitic and dolomitic lime slurries: influence of particle characteristics and practical implications in lime-based mortar manufacturing

The study of the rheological properties of lime suspensions is a useful means to evaluate the workability of lime mortars. In this work, we studied the flow behaviour of two industrial hydrated limes, one of calcitic and the other of dolomitic composition, by means of two types of rheometer with different geometry and setup mode. The obtained results were interpreted taking into account the differences in microstructure and surface properties of the suspended particles. Calcitic lime dry particles are formed by angular and polydisperse clusters and, once dispersed in water, they behave like thixotropic materials. On the other hand, the dolomitic lime is formed by nanoparticles and small round cluster and it shows a pronounced plastic behaviour in suspension. This fundamental difference between the two materials explains the traditional preference for dolomitic lime mortars for plastering and rendering applications.