Effect of Phenolic Particles on Mechanical and Thermal Conductivity of Foamed Sulphoaluminate Cement-Based Materials

Abstract

Foamed concrete materials based on sulpoaluminate cement were prepared by the chemical foaming method. The effects of water–cement ratio, foaming agent, and foaming stabilizer on the mechanical and thermal properties of foamed concrete were studied. Meanwhile, a portion of cement was replaced with foamed phenolic particles to further optimize the performance of foamed concrete; the results show that when the water–cement ratio was 0.53, the foaming agent content was 5%, the foam stabilizer was 1%, and the substitution of phenolic particles was 20%, the performance indexes of foamed concrete were the best. Methods, describing briefly the main methods or treatments applied: dry density was 278.4 kg/m3, water absorption was 19.9%, compressive strength was 3.01 MPa, and thermal conductivity was 0.072 W/(m·K). By the pore structure analysis of the foamed concrete suing Micro-CT, it was found that when the replacement amount of phenolic particles was 20%, the pore size of foamed concrete was relatively uniform, the minimum D90 was 225 μm respectively. The combination of organic and inorganic matrix and optimized pore structure improved the performance of foamed concrete.