Free downloads: cement glossary
and microscope images

Cement Glossary with 100+ definitions and chemical formulae PLUS
four petrographic microscope images to use as desktop images or screensavers

Our new revised Glossary contains over 100 definitions of terms used in cement science

The internet may be the best source of information ever, but if like me you still seem to spend a lot of time looking for cement facts, formulae and other stuff, the "Understanding Cement" glossary might be just what you need.

Writing about cement? Don't stop your creative flow by spending hours searching for information...

Instantly look up cement-related chemical formulae
Concise definitions of cement-related terminology
Links to the "Understanding Cement" web site for more information if needed

The new edition contains many more definitions of words or phrases relating to cement science than the original version; many of these new words were proposed by people who downloaded the first version and who kindly suggested new words.

Image showing examples of some items in the glossary

I've spent over 25 years studying cement and concrete and writing reports for clients but I still find it really useful to have basic information instantly available. If I need to check the chemical formula for ettringite, or remind myself whether akermanite occurs as a minor phase in slag or PFA - whatever it is, I find it very helpful to have a source of concentrated information in note form.

I used to write this stuff down but I often mislaid the notebook. I also rely on having text books to hand where I can look up anything I need - that is better but I still have to find the right book and the right page and anyway, often I leave the book I want at home.

However, information on a web site is available from anywhere and the Adobe Acrobat Reader has a search function that finds data instantly. Problem solved!

Well, not quite. I still had to type the stuff in, check it and upload it and that all takes time too. Then I realised that I'm probably not the only one who would find all this information useful.

If you have an interest in cement chemistry, the good news for you is that I've done the hard work for you. All you have to do is download it!

The new revised glossary contains well over 100 definitions (around 113, I think but I could be wrong, and a few are different words for the same thing). I started with what I had personally found useful, took out some arcane stuff probably only of interest to me and put in a lot more material that I thought would be useful to students and anyone fairly new to cement science.

That was the first edition. Many people who downloaded it then suggested new words, and I am grateful to all who took the trouble. In the new edition, I haven't used quite all of them for various reasons, not least of which was that I had never heard of some of the words and could find no reference to them in the literature. (These could be either be the most interesting words, or someone winding me up...!) Words were submitted anonymously then, but now anyone submitting a new word has the option of leaving their e-mail address so that we can contact them for supplementary information if needed.

The Glossary is evolving! Maybe you can help shape its evolution...?

Can you suggest some new words for the next edition? The glossary is always going to be a 'work in progress' and suggestions are always very welcome.

As you have visited the "Understanding Cement" web site and have read this far, you clearly have a strong interest in cement. I hope you have found the web site itself to be useful and that you will refer to it again and again. The web site too is a work in progress as pages are added and amended.

Our "Understanding Cement" e-book, is now available at modest cost (see the Books page).

If you sign up for our free monthly newsletter, we can keep you up to date via the newsletter of new pages on the "Understanding Cement" web site and of the availability of our forthcoming training courses and other material.

Click here to subscribe to our free newsletter and download the glossary PLUS you can also download a set of four high-resolution microscope images you can use as screensavers or desktop images.

All four images are technically interesting and also make very attractive screensaver or desktop images. Beware, though, your colleagues will probably want them too when they see them! A description accompanies the images, describing the main features.

horizontal strip of four small images that can be downloaded as screensaver/desktop images

To get your free cement glossary in pdf form, and the petrographic microscope images, all you need to do is to subscribe to our monthly newsletter. Just sign up and confirm your subscription and you will see a link to the special Newsletter Subcriber page, from where you can download the images and glossary.

Thank you for visiting "Understanding Cement" and I really hope you found it useful.

Best regards

Nick

PS: "Understanding Cement" in all in its manifestations - web site, glossary, e-book, e-seminar etc. - can be an ongoing 'cementitious' resource for you in the months and years to come. Subscribe to our newsletter and keep in touch.

Click here to subscribe to our free newsletter and download the Glossary and the images...