Open Access

ARTICLE

An Investigation into the Performances of Cement Mortar Incorporating Superabsorbent Polymer Synthesized with Kaolin

Xiao Huang^1,2, Jin Yang^3,*

1 State Key Laboratory of Featured Metal Materials and Life-Cycle Safety for Composite Structures, and School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
2 State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
3 School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China

* Corresponding Author: Jin Yang. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Solid Waste Processing and Recycling Technologies for Civil Engineering Materials)

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2024, 20(6), 1393-1406. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2024.046360

Received 27 September 2023; Accepted 28 December 2023; Issue published 27 June 2024

Abstract

Cement-based materials are fundamental in the construction industry, and enhancing their properties is an ongoing challenge. The use of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) has gained significant attention as a possible way to improve the performance of cement-based materials due to their unique water-absorption and retention properties. This study investigates the multifaceted impact of kaolin intercalation-modified superabsorbent polymers (K-SAP) on the properties of cement mortar. The results show that K-SAP significantly affects the cement mortar’s rheological behavior, with distinct phases of water absorption and release, leading to changes in workability over time. Furthermore, K-SAP alters the hydration kinetics, delaying the exothermic peak of hydration and subsequently modifying the heat release kinetics. Notably, K-SAP effectively maintains a higher internal relative humidity within the mortar, reducing the autogenous shrinkage behavior. Moreover, K-SAP can have a beneficial effect on pore structure and this can be ascribed to the internal curing effect of released water from K-SAP.

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Keywords

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