where/how can I obtain calcium sulfoaluminate?

Calcium Sulfoaluminate is a product of cement setting and is often
made use of in expansive cement mixes. Because of this, it is
difficult if not impossible to obtain the chemical directly... it must
be produced by setting. So, no chemical/industrial supply houses will
carry this chemical. What you would get if they did would be a
"brick". They would only carry the chemicals necessary to produce it.
So, with that in mind...

Reference 1 has a brief overview of how to produce Calcium
Sulfoaluminate.

The directory of reference 2 lets you access a number of patents
related to expansive cement mixtures, which is what Calcium
Sulfoaluminate is used in.  These can give you a good idea of how to
manufacture this material, and/or who can manufacture it for you.

Calcium Sulfoaluminate also goes by the name of "Klein's compound". 
This gentleman's thesis (Ref. 3) covers its production (The thesis
title is "The Synthesis and Hydration of Klein's Compound,
4CaO-3Al2O3-SO3").  Sorry, the thesis is not available online. 
However, the page does contain his email address and a department
name.  The thesis appears to be in english.

Finally, this site (Ref. 4) gives an excellent explanation of the
chemical reaction needed to obtain Calcium Sulfoaluminate.

I hope that this was what your looking for.  If not, be sure to
request a clarification.

krobert-ga


References:

1) The hydration of portland cement:
   http://www.ce.memphis.edu/1101/notes/concrete/everything%20about%20concrete/4_-_hydration.html

2) Patents: Expansive cements and non-shrinking mortars
   http://en.baustoffchemie.de/katalog_001,007,001.html

3) Risų National Laboratory, Staff, Jesper Knudsen
   http://www.risoe.dk/afm/personal/jknu/jknu.htm

4) Solid State Inorganic Chemistry - Inorganic Cements
   http://www.bpx.cov.ac.uk/Research/CMBE/225che/225che5.htm

Search Strategy:
On www.google.com: "calcium sulfoaluminate"
On www.alltheweb.com: "calcium sulfoaluminate"
On Google: "Klein's compound"
On All The Web: "Klein's compound" manufacture

---

Request for Answer Clarification by dro-ga on 15 Nov 2002 13:23 PST

I know all that stuff and more, it is also in abundance in the mineral
ettringite.  I know it is difficult if not impossible to find.  What I
want to know is which.  And I know that it can be made or purified. 
The question is who can or will do such?

---

Request for Answer Clarification by dro-ga on 15 Nov 2002 13:25 PST

the question was OBTAIN!!

---

Clarification of Answer by krobert-ga on 15 Nov 2002 15:50 PST

dro-ga,

I'm sorry that you were disappointed with your answer. In the future,
please allow myself or another researcher enough time to respond
before rating the answer.

The main point that I tried to make in my answer was that calcium
sulfoaluminate is not directly purchasable. It is a chemical product
of a reaction in cement mixtures.  The result of these mixtures is a
solid chunk of material. Because I could not answer the "where" to
obtain, the answer was an attempt at the "how" in your question

Keep in mind too that Calcium Sulfaluminate is of variable composition
(because it is a hydrated ceramic), so purification becomes a question
what exactly you want... it is not a pure material, it's a ceramic
"phase" of variable composition (specifically, of three different
oxides [plus water]). If you were to try to purchase it, it would be
like trying to purchase "steel".  Steels... although all composed of
iron and carbon... come in innumerable different varieties, and even
those vary between manufacturers.

To respond to your question of how to obtain it, I would have to say
that getting a mixture of expansive cement mix and allowing it to set
would be your best bet. I know that that sounds sarcastic, but I don't
mean it in that way.

Again, I'm sorry you were disappointed with the answer.

Best Regards,

krobert-ga

Do I need to pay more for a real answer?

He gave you an answer.  The answer is "You can't."

Specifically: "it is difficult if not impossible to obtain the
chemical directly... it must be produced by setting. So, no
chemical/industrial supply houses will carry this chemical."

Additionally, manufacturing something yourself DOES count as
"obtaining" it.  From dictionary.com: To get hold of by effort; to
gain possession of; to procure; to acquire, in any way.

No need to be rude to a researcher who did a perfectly fine job of
answering your question.

Thaks for the expanded answer.  We could quibble over the exact
meaning of the original answer but I am satisified that I received my
money's worth.  Sorry I did not understand the proper manner of reply
but after many hours on google I was not pleased with such a cursory
initial response.  Thanks again and again I appologize for my
rudeness.