What is the purpose of triethanolamine in cement? Is it (triethanolamine) also in admixtures (water reducer, air entraining, superplasticiser, for example) for concrete? Could this chemical affect the final appearance of finished flatwork concrete? Could it cause uneven discolorations in the cured concrete?

Triethanolamine is used as a set controlling chemical in concrete admixtures. However, I am not aware of it causing differences in appearance of the surface of finished concrete. That phenomenon sounds more like effluorescence.

I would be very interested to hear any pointers you might have about where how best to get started on using microscopy as a further tool for examining clinker ? Where training might be obtained ? Anyone you might recommend that I could contact and who could possibly come on site and provide this training ?

An article describing the work we have been doing in Slovakia will appear in the February 2003 issue of International Cement Review. In part this describes how microscopy is used in combination with pattern recognition in hour-to-hour control of the real mineralogy of clinker.