A Study of Low Porosity Polymerized β-C2S Paste

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper an active β-C2S was used to prepare compacted and polymerized pastes with low porosity. X-ray diffraction (XRD), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and tri-methy silanation-gel permeation chromatography (TMS-GPC) techniques were used to characterize the microstructure of the pastes both before and after additions of inorganic complexing ions, Fe2+and Ni2+, and organic silane VTES.The results indicate that both inorganic complexing ions and organic silane can play a role in the polymerization of the native silicate anions in the cement pastes. These materials lead to a distinct increase of pentamer, octamer, and polymer components in the pastes, resulting in a decrease in the average C/S ratio in the C-S-H phase. The samples obtained from this processing have very high mechanical strengths, up to a compressive strength of 316 MPa, and fracture surface energy of 43 J/m2.