Cement and methods of preparing cement

A method for making cement compositions, comprising:

• providing a mixture of compounds containing the required calcium, silicon, aluminum, and iron to provide at least one of tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, tetracalcium alumino ferrite, other calcium silicates, aluminates, ferrites, and silicates or combinations thereof;
• adding a fuel source and an oxidizer to the mixture of compounds;
• and
• heating the mixture of compounds, the fuel source, and the oxidizer such that the mixture of compounds, the fuel source, and the oxidizer gels, foams, and subsequently ignites to form the at least one tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, and tetracalcium aluminoferrite, or combinations thereof, wherein the at least one tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, tetracalcium alumino ferrite, other calcium silicates, aluminates, ferrites, and silicates, or combinations thereof each have a particle size of less than about 600 nm.