Question

Is white cement and plaster of Paris the same?

Answer 1

Plaster is a building material that is used to coat walls and ceilings with a protective or ornamental coating, as well as for moulding and casting decorative components. In English, "plaster" often refers to a material used for constructing interiors, whereas "render" generally refers to exterior uses. Stucco is another inaccurate word for the material, which is also used for plasterwork that is treated in some way to generate relief embellishment rather than flat surfaces.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Gypsum plaster, often known as gypsum powder or plaster of Paris, or P.O.P., is a white calcium sulphate hemihydrate powder. The chemical formula is written as follows: $CaS{O_4}.\dfrac{1}{2}{H_2}O$
Gypsum plaster, also known as gypsum powder or plaster of Paris, is made by heating gypsum to a temperature of 120–180°C (248–356°F) in a kiln.
$CaS{O_4}.2{H_2}O\xrightarrow{\Delta }CaS{O_4}.\dfrac{1}{2}{H_2}O + 1\dfrac{1}{2}{H_2}O$
When wetted with water, plaster of Paris takes on a unique property of hardening into a solid mass.
$CaS{O_4}.\dfrac{1}{2}{H_2}O + 1\dfrac{1}{2}{H_2}O\xrightarrow{\Delta }CaS{O_4}.2{H_2}O$
Because the presence of moisture might cause delayed setting of plaster of Paris by causing its hydration, which will render it unusable after a period of time, it is stored in moisture-proof containers.
Except for its great degree of whiteness, white Portland cement or white ordinary Portland cement (WOPC) is identical to ordinary, grey Portland cement in every way. Because obtaining this hue necessitates significant changes to the manufacturing process, it is slightly more expensive than the grey product. Ordinary Portland cement gets its distinctive greenish-gray to brown hue from a variety of transition elements in its chemical makeup. Chromium, manganese, iron, copper, vanadium, nickel, and titanium are listed in decreasing order of colour impact. The amount of these in white cement is kept to a bare minimum.
No, white cement is not the same as plaster of Paris. The former, which is formed of gypsum, is used in medical casts (such as those used to repair fractures), while the latter is used to give walls a glossy sheen.

Note:
In some places, an off-white clinker with a reflectance value of more than 70 when ground is manufactured at a fraction of the cost of regular grey clinker. This can be used with ground blast furnace slag (up to 60% depending on usage and early strength) to make a cement with a reflectance of above 80. Although blended cement has a lower production cost than grey Portland cement, it usually generates a profit margin since it is sold to compete with white Portland cement.