## 2 Materials and Methods
### Characterization of Cement Composites  
#### 3.2.1 Fresh State Characterization  
Slimp test: The elaboration of mortars requires characterization in the fresh state to determine the workability and viscosity of the hydraulic material. This measurement is all the more relevant when an admixture is incorporated. Figure 3a,b show the consistency of a EURO5G admixed mortar and the values obtained from the slump test, respectively. Figure 3a clearly shows the appearance given by the mucilage to the material. The addition of FM to a cementitious composite tends to form flocks whose size and shape depend on the mucilage concentration. The size decreases as the concentration increases, and the sphericity of these aggregates becomes more regular as the mucilage concentration increases. This particular granular structure suggests a coating of the cement grains/sand by the polysaccharide and not an increase in workability, as may be the case with OFI mucilage [11; 38]. This important granular aspect makes the cement particularly dry (in conditions of W/C = 0.5) and difficult to work. During samples molding and demolding, this granular aspect, bordering on sandy, makes the material quite friable. As mucilage is a very hygroscopic material, the water available for hydration during mixing may be reduced initially. Dissolving the mucilage also allows the polysaccharide chains to unwind and ionize. This ionization makes the anionic groups available to bind with the metallic cations present in the cement, as shown previously with the FM solubilization in alkaline solutions and FTIR conclusions. This interaction at the surface of the cement grains has been shown to be an absorption or adsorption of the polysaccharide groups onto the cement grains, resulting in a flocculation process [39]. This phenomenon can be seen in Figure 4. Moreover,  
Figure 2: Infrared spectra of solubilized mucilages at different alkaline conditions. the kinetics of cement hydration makes this phenomenon even more plausible. Indeed, due to the substantial water absorption by the mucilage and the cement's affinity for water, the hydration kinetics of the cement enable the formation of this bond. Figure 4 shows that the greater the amount of mucilage, the greater the flocculation. Setting times determination: The polysaccharide has the ability to bind with cement cations and absorb an amount of mixing water necessary to the cement for hydration and hardening. The Figure 5 illustrates the isothermal calorimetry of the polysaccharide admixed cement pastes. [PERSON] et al. [40] worked on the retarding effect of saccharides on cement pastes and concluded that the initial and final setting times increased exponentially as a function of the sugar concentration. To confirm these results, an additional cement paste, with 30 g/L mucilage mixing water (1.5% \(w/w\) cement), was used. The results are shown in Figure 5a-c. The Figure 5a clearly shows the impact of the polysaccharides on the cement hydration. The setting times, both initial and final, are increased as a function of rising polysaccharides concentration. The polysaccharides also influence the heat generated during the hydration and extend the induction period. The Figure 5c confirms the conclusions of [PERSON] et al. [40] that the setting is exponentially influenced by the polysaccharides concentration. Figure 5b shows a crossing point of the admixed cement pastes curves with the reference one around 32 h, indicating a higher hydration rate above that crossing point for the admixed cement pastes. [PERSON] et al. [40] mentioned this point. Moreover, after 48 h of hydration, excepted for EURO15G and EURO30G, the cumulated heat is at least similar or higher than that of the reference. Figure 4: Granular shape of 28 days cured mortars—(**a**) reference, (**b**) EURO2G, (**c**) EURO5G, and (**d**) EURO15G. Figure 3: Slump test (**a**) of the mortars and the results (**b**). Another evidence of the polysaccharide impact is on the mineral activity.