Le Chatelier Mould Manufacturer,Supplier and Exporter in India
Product Code : EL-CACTE-9461
Jlab Export is a leading Le Chatelier Mould Manufacturer,and suppliers in India
Unsound cement keeps expanding after it has set, mostly because of free lime that hydrates late. The Le Chatelier mould measures that expansion. It is a small split cylinder with a parallel indicator arm on each side of the split, each ending in a point. Two glass plates and a lead weight come with it.
Specifications
| Mould | Small split cylinder |
| Indicator arms | Two, parallel, with pointed ends, one each side of the split |
| Supplied with | Two glass plates and a lead weight |
| Test | Soundness by the expansion method |
| Materials tested | Ordinary, rapid hardening and low heat Portland cement, class A limes |
| Minimum order quantity | 10 units |
| Dispatch time | Usually 4–6 working days |
| Manufacturer | JLab (Jain Laboratory Instruments Pvt Ltd), Ambala, India |
Soundness Practicals in the Cement Lab
Students mix a cement paste of standard consistency, found first with the Vicat Apparatus, and fill the mould standing on a lightly oiled glass plate. Keeping the split closed, they cover the mould with the second plate, put the lead weight on top and place the set under water. Next day they measure the distance between the indicator points.
The mould then goes into boiling water, is kept boiling for the set time and is left to cool. A second measurement gives the expansion. Teachers can repeat the test on the same cement after spreading it out in air for a few days. The lower result shows free lime slaking on exposure. For cement high in magnesia, the Laboratory Cement Autoclave test is used instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Le Chatelier test show?
It shows whether a cement expands too much after setting. A sound cement changes volume very little. Excess expansion points to free lime that hydrates late and can crack mortar or concrete long after it has hardened.
How is the expansion read?
Measure the distance between the two pointer tips before boiling and again after the mould has cooled. The increase in millimetres is the expansion. The long arms magnify the small opening of the split, so a steel rule is enough to read it.
How does it differ from the autoclave test?
The Le Chatelier mould boils a small sample of paste and mainly picks up free lime. The autoclave test heats cement bars in steam under pressure, which also brings out the slower expansion caused by magnesia. Many labs run both.
What are the glass plates and lead weight for?
The plates close the top and bottom of the mould while the paste sets under water. The lead weight sits on the top plate and keeps the mould from shifting or floating.
Can the mould be used for lime?
Yes. Besides ordinary, rapid hardening and low heat Portland cements, it is used to check the soundness of class A limes by the same expansion method.
Other Soundness and Volume Change Apparatus
- Volume Change Apparatus
- Brass Ring Mould Pat Test (pat test for lime and gypsum plaster)
- Le Chatelier Flask (specific gravity of cement, a different test)
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Last updated: 5 November 2026
