Gypsum Plaster Setting

Gypsum is conveyed to furnace – like lime – after excavation, crushing, and grinding, where it’s heated up to 180°C. So it loses some water molecules and can be used in for of hemihydrate gypsum as construction or casting material. Gypsum is naturally white. yet might appear in gray, bluish gray, pink, or yellow due to impurities presence. Such as organic materials, clay, and iron oxide.

Gyprock has a monoclinic crystal structure with specific weight of 2.32 and hardness of 1.5 to 2. Gypsum is mixed with coarse and fine crystalized gyprocks and solved in hydrochloric acid and hot water. Pure gyprock contains 20.9% water, 46.6% SO3, 32.5% CaO. Gyprock purity is determined by its mineral gypsum content. According to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) minimum purity of gyprock required for industrial application is 70%. Whereas the majority of commercial gypsums purity is 75-90%. The major gyprock impurities are shale, clays, calcium carbonate. Remains of biological interactions and activities are also observed occasionally.

Initial and final setting times of gypsum plasters vary depending on application and consumption culture. Ordinary and micronized construction gypsums available as 40-200 mesh gypsum powder have a short setting time. For example, the initial setting time of 40 mesh construction gypsum produced in accordance with national Iranian standards is 5-7minutes. Whereas the setting time of 200 mesh construction gypsums is usually 6-20 minutes.

Calculating Gypsum plaster Setting Time Using Trowel Method

This method is used to determine the setting time of gypsums without additives. The mix contains 100 gr of water and enough gypsum to saturate the mix. The mix of water and gypsum is steered well by a spoon and poured on a glass plate. so that diameter of the mix spread on the glass is 10-12 cm with a thickness of 5 mm.

The time is measured from beginning of adding gypsum to the water and then the spread is cut by blade. Thickness of the blade should not exceed 1.5mm. If the two tips of the cut adhere again, the initial setting had not taken place. The test is repeated until the two tips no more adhere, which shows that the gypsum is set.