Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) is a cement type produced by blending Portland cement clinker with pozzolanic materials. There are two types of pozzolana: natural and artificial. Natural pozzolana is made up of calcined materials such as volcanic ash, pumicite, shales, and clay. Artificial pozzolana includes burnt clay, silica fume, fly ash, and blast furnace slag. The primary components of PPC are:
- Portland cement clinker: This is the main ingredient of PPC and is produced by heating a mixture of limestone, clay, and other materials in a kiln at high temperatures of 800-1,000 degrees Celsius. Portland cement clinker blended with gypsum (which controls the setting time) provides the fundamental strength and binding properties to the cement.