The influence of the capacity of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to consume portlandite on the carbonation resistance of mortar was investigated. Seven different mineral additives (two types of slag, two types of fly ash, two calcined clays and limestone) were used and their reactivity was measured using isothermal calorimetry, strength index measurements, Chapelle's test and thermogravimetric

A soap-free latex (XY-5) was prepared by means of a soap-free emulsion free-radical polymerisation method, using the synthetic polymer P (BA/AANa) as an emulsifier and butyl acrylate (BA), styrene and methyl methacrylate as monomers. The stability, thermal stability and microstructure of the XY-5 emulsion were studied using various methods, including viscosity analysis, zeta potential measurement,

One of the main problems affecting the flow of cement bulk powder is the formation of cohesive arching at the outlet of the hopper, causing blockage of the silo opening and bridge formation. A simple concept is established which outlines these complications. In this context, the interactions of particles lead to a high degree of consolidation of the cement powder and an increase of adhesion force due

In this study, the effect of pH value, a neglected but important factor of magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) pastes, was investigated to generate new ideas in the field of large water-to-solid (w/s) fraction MPC preparation. To avoid the introduction of impurities, the pH value was controlled by adjusting the proportions of diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP)

Deterioration of the cement asphalt mortar (CAM) cushion in non-ballast slab track can decrease the safety of high-speed railway lines in service. The improvement in the performance of CAM due to the addition of nanosilica was investigated in this study. The workability, mechanical properties and fatigue behaviour of CAM with nanosilica were determined and compared to those of CAM without nanosilica

The instability of magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) in moist environments limits its application. In the work reported in this paper, the residual strength and length evolution of MPCs under various curing conditions were investigated to assess the effect of steel slag and fly ash on the stability of MPC. The microstructure of hardened MPC was analysed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy

Cracks will affect the service life of concrete, even if they are small ones. A crack healing method based on biomineralisation is presented to repair microcracks in concrete specimens. By analysing the change in permeability, adopting two different ultrasonic detection methods, and conducting unconfined compressive strength tests, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction tests, this method

The lifetime of a geothermal well is strongly dependent on the long-term performance of the cement used for its construction. The critical zones in well cements are the outermost layers, where the cement encounters either the steel casing or the rock formation. The current paper presents a study of the changes in the interfacial transition zone that forms between geothermal cements and volcanic rocks

LiAl-layered double hydroxide (LiAl-LDH) has been reported as a potential hardening accelerator of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement. Until now, little has been known about the effect of synthesis conditions and post-synthetic treatments of LiAl-LDH on the performance of CSA cement. The present work shows two methods for the synthesis of LiAl-LDH – a solvothermal method and a separate nucleation