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Development and Characterization of Novel Cement Materials

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 December 2023) | Viewed by 7767

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Dr. Shuping Wang

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Guest Editor

College of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
Interests: alkali-activated cement; microstructure of cement hydration; durability of cementitious materials; utilization of industrial wastes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to publish papers including the field of development and properties of novel cement and concrete through structure characterization. Means or enhanced insights into the behavior characterization of novel cementitious materials, e.g., low carbon cement, alkali-activated materials, geopolymer, and magnesium phosphate cement behavior, should be obtained through the experimental investigation or already published data. The scope includes:

Preparation, mix design, and application of novel cement concrete;
Rheology of fresh novel cementitious materials;
Mechanical properties of hardened materials;
Hydration characterization and analysis of novel cement concrete;
Long-term properties;
Microstructure development and modeling.

Novel cement is an important alternative that increases the flexibility and application of Portland cement. Scientists and engineers should be aware that the materials used to provide additional capabilities of novel cement concrete are not the same as Portland cement. Therefore, methods should be developed to characterize the behavior of the new type of cementitious materials. Such an investigation will be important for better understanding the fundamentals of new cementitious materials.

Contributions in the form of original research articles or reviews are acceptable.

Dr. Shuping Wang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

mechanical properties of novel cement
rheology
hydration products of novel cement
thermodynamic modeling
microstructure characterization
alkali-activated cement
durability measurement

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Volume Deformation and Hydration Behavior of Ordinary Portland Cement/Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Blends

by Guangxiang Ji, Hafiz Asad Ali, Keke Sun, Dongxing Xuan, Xiaoqin Peng and Jingjun Li

Materials 2023, 16(7), 2652; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072652 - 27 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1341

Abstract

Blends of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement can be used to adjust the properties of cement for specific applications. In this study, CSA cement was used as a shrinkage-compensating admixture to improve the hydration behavior and performance (compressive strength and drying shrinkage) of OPC; the expansion behavior of the blended cement mortar was evaluate based on the saturation index of ettringite. The experimental results showed that incorporating CSA cement resulted in a delayed effect on the hydration of C₃S, shortened the induction periods of the blended cement and decreased the setting time. The CSA cement also improved the early compressive strength and drying shrinkage of the OPC due to its compact microstructure. The drying shrinkage of the OPC mortar decreased by 27.8% when 6% CSA cement was used, but the formation of microcracks due to expansion could negatively impact its late compressive strength development and associated pore structures of the blends when the replacement content of CSA cement exceeded 6 wt.%. The results relevant to the expansion behavior of the CSA cements could induce crystallization stress, enhancing its resistance against shrinkage cracking. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Novel Cement Materials)

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26 pages, 10296 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of the Internal Structure of Hardened 3D-Printed Concrete by X-CT Scanning and Its Influence on the Mechanical Performance

by Yanjuan Chen, Jukka Kuva, Ashish Mohite, Zhongsen Li, Hubert Rahier, Fahim Al-Neshawy and Jiangpeng Shu

Materials 2023, 16(6), 2534; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062534 - 22 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1757

Abstract

As we know, 3DPC is printed layer by layer compared with mold-casting conventional concrete. Pore structure and layer-to-layer interface are two main aspects of the internal structure for 3DPC, which decide 3DPC’s mechanical performance. The layer-to-layer interface caused by printing is specific to 3DPC. The emphasis of this study lies in the layer-to-layer interfaces of 3DPC. The first aim of this study is to quantify the characteristics of the layer-to-layer interface and therefore characterize different aspects of the interfaces. The second aim of this study is to explore how the internal structure of printed concrete influences the mechanical performance of 3DPC. This research set out to design a series of experimental comparisons between 3DPC and casted concrete with the same compositions. Mechanical tests, i.e., compressive stress, ultrasonic Pulse Velocity test, flexural tension, and tension splitting, as well as the Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity test, were performed to check the mechanical performance of 3DPC. Contrary to what has often been expected, the mechanical test results showed the printed concrete has a quality not worse than casted concrete with the same recipe. Meanwhile, the X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) is used to characterize the internal structure, pore shapes, and interfaces of 3DPC. First, the investigation revealed that the lower total porosity and fewer big voids could be the fundamental causes meaning 3DPC has a better mechanical performance than casted concrete. Second, the statistics based on aspect ratio show that the distribution curves follow similar trends, regardless of the printed or casted concrete. Third, this study quantified the depth of the different interfaces for 3DPC. The results suggest that the porosity in an interface varies in a range. The author’s pioneer work has contributed to our present understanding of the interfaces of 3DPC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Novel Cement Materials)

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11 pages, 3282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evolution of Microstructural Characteristics of Carbonated Cement Pastes Subjected to High Temperatures Evaluated by MIP and SEM

by Yongqiang Li, Yaoming Luo, Hangyu Du, Wei Liu, Luping Tang and Feng Xing

Materials 2022, 15(17), 6037; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15176037 - 01 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1265

Abstract

The microstructural evolutions of both uncarbonated and carbonated cement pastes subjected to various high temperatures (30 °C, 200 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, 600 °C, 720 °C, and 950 °C) are presented in this study by the means of mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the thermal stabilities of uncarbonated cement pastes were significantly changed from 400 to 500 °C due to the decomposition of portlandite at this temperature range. More large pores and microcracks were generated from 600 to 720 °C, with the depolymerization of C-S-H. After carbonation, the microstructures of carbonated cement pastes remained unchanged below 500 °C and started to degrade at 600 °C, due to the decompositions of calcium carbonates and calcium modified silica gel. At 950 °C, both uncarbonated and carbonated cement pastes showed a loosely honeycombed microstructure, composed mainly of β-C₂S and lime. It can be concluded that carbonation improves the high-temperature resistance of cement pastes up to 500 °C, but this advantage is lost at temperatures over 600 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Novel Cement Materials)

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24 pages, 9840 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effect of Polycarboxylate-Silane Modified Graphene Oxide Composite on the Properties of Cement Pastes

by Shuang Liu, Shiyu Li, Qin Wang, Ruifeng Zhang and Xiao Liu

Materials 2022, 15(15), 5313; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155313 - 02 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1206

Abstract

As a nano-carbon material with excellent properties, Graphene oxide (GO) has been widely used in cement-based materials, and the negative effect of paste workability caused by GO agglomeration has also been widely concerning. In this study, a polycarboxylate-silane modified graphene oxide composite (PSG) was prepared by coupling polycarboxylate molecules to the surface of graphene oxide (GO) via a reaction with vinyl triethoxysilane. The effects of GO and PSG on the cement paste and the mechanisms underpinning these effects were investigated using fluidity and rheological parameter measurements, and ion concentration and zeta potential analyses. It was found that, in the aqueous phase of the paste, the polycarboxylate molecular chains on the surface of the PSG complexed with calcium ions (Ca²⁺), thereby preventing Ca²⁺ from bridging the GO sheets, and thus stabilizing the surface potential and the electrostatic repulsion. This prevented the PSG from forming an agglomerate structure such as that formed by GO under the same conditions, thereby substantially enhancing workability of paste with nano-carbon material. This study provides some new foundations and ideas for the further application of graphene oxide materials in cement-based materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Novel Cement Materials)

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14 pages, 5298 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Carbonation Behavior of Cracked Concrete

by Qun Guo, Lexin Jiang, Jianmin Wang and Junzhe Liu

Materials 2022, 15(13), 4518; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15134518 - 27 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1551

Abstract

The crack and carbonation of concrete pose a great challenge to its durability. Therefore, this paper studies the effect of cracks on the carbonation depth of cement paste under different factors. The relationship between carbonation and cracks was determined, and the carbonation mechanism of cement paste with cracks was clarified. The results show that a small water–binder ratio can effectively inhibit the carbonation process. The bidirectional carbonation enlarged the carbonation area around the crack. Within 21 days of the carbonation, the carbonation depth increased with carbonation time, and the Ca(OH)₂ on the surface of the specimen was sufficient, allowing for a convenient chemical reaction with CO₂. The influence of crack width on the carbonation process at the crack was greater than the influence of the crack depth. Carbonation influenced the hydration of cement-based materials, altering the types and quantities of hydration products. In conclusion, accurately predicting the regularity of carbonation in cracked structures is critical for improving the durability of concrete. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Novel Cement Materials)

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