On 12th April, 2019, invited by Prof. Xiangming Kong, Dr. Thomas Sowoidnich had an academic visit to the Institute of Building Materials, Tsinghua University. He gave an impressive presentation about his recent research progress “Ion concentrations in the aqueous phase of hydrating C3S”. Before the presentation, Prof. Xiangming Kong expressed a warm welcome to Dr. Thomas Sowoidnich and briefly introduced his education background and major academic achievements. Dr. Sowoidnich received his PhD degree in Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (2015) and afterwards stay at the same place as a research fellow. His dissertation “A study of the retarding effects on cement and tricalcium silicate hydration induced by superplasticizers” has been affirmed by many experts. His recent research interests focuses on the mechanism of cement hydration with a large overlap with the research activities in the Kong’s group. He has published many high-level academic papers.

In this presentation, Dr. Sowoidnich introduced a new experimental method for studying the early hydration of tricalcium silicate, especially the composition of C-S-H in the early stages of hydration. His research provides new evidence for the “protective layer theory” (a theory used to explain the causes of induction period of cement hydration), which helps better understanding of the causes of the induction period and for the acceleration of cement hydration.

After the presentation, Dr. Sowoidnich had an intensive discussion with the audience, who are mainly the ph.D students from Department of the Civil Engineering .