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Special Issue "Advances in Binders for Construction Materials (Second Volume)"

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Dear Colleagues,

The global binder production for construction materials is approximately 7.5 billion tons per year, contributing ~6% to the global anthropogenic atmospheric CO₂ emissions. Reducing this carbon footprint is a key aim of the construction industry, and current research focuses on developing new innovative ways to attain more sustainable binders and concrete/mortars as a real alternative to the current global demand for Portland cement.

With this aim, several potential alternative binders are currently being investigated by scientists worldwide, based on calcium aluminate cement, calcium sulfoaluminate cement, alkali-activated binders, calcined clay limestone cements, nanomaterials, or supersulfated cements. This Special Issue welcomes contributions that address research and practical advances in i) alternative binder manufacturing processes; ii) chemical, microstructural, and structural characterization of unhydrated binders and of hydrated systems; iii) the properties and modelling of concrete and mortars; iv) applications and durability of concrete and mortars; and v) the conservation and repair of historic concrete/mortar structures using alternative binders.

This Special Issue volume II will focus on papers with a broad interest in the binder industry and construction community, based upon the novelty and quality of the results and the real potential application of the findings to the practice and industry.

Dr. Jorge Otero
Guest Editor

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Keywords

binders
mortars
renders
grouts
building materials
lime
cement
concrete
alkali-activated materials
alternative binders
high-performance concrete
geopolymers
gypsum
calcium aluminate cement
nanolime
supersulfated cements
calcium sulfoaluminate binders
mortar additives
Roman fly ash
cementitious composites
calcined clay limestone cements
natural pozzolans
hybrid binders
nanomaterials
durability
life cycle assessment
recycled materials
waste management
environmental assessment
repair of historic construction materials
concrete conservation
case studies

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Microstructure and Porosity of Cement Pastes with Functionalized Nanosilica with Different Contents of Aminosilane

Gabriel Lima Oliveira Martins

Yuri Sotero Bomfim Fraga

Andréia de Paula

João Henrique da Silva Rêgo

Amparo Moragues Terrades

and

Moisés Frías Rojas

Materials 2023, 16(16), 5675; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165675 - 18 Aug 2023

Viewed by 275

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the effect of functionalized nanosilica (NSF) with different levels of amine groups in the formation of hydration products. Four cement pastes were investigated, one reference with Portland cement and three replacing 1% of Portland cement by nanosilica (NS), NSF with a low content of amine groups, and NSF with a high content of amine groups. The heat of hydration of the pastes was evaluated up to 7 days of hydration, the amount of calcium hydroxide (CH) and hydrated phases by means of the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) test and compressive strength at 2, 7, and 28 days, and porosity through tests of mercury intrusion porosimetry and computed tomography at 28 days of hydration. It was possible to observe that the NSF directly influenced the hydration kinetics of the pastes, delaying the hydration of the Portland cement; however, it demonstrated a similar mechanical performance to the paste with NS at 2 days of hydration and an increase of 10% at 28 days of hydration due to the improvement in the hydration process. Thus, it is possible to conclude that the functionalization of NSF with a low 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) content is promising for use in cementitious materials and may improve hydration and mechanical performance at more advanced ages compared to NS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Binders for Construction Materials (Second Volume))

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Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Strength and Electrical Properties of Cementitious Composite with Integrated Carbon Nanotubes

and

Materials 2023, 16(13), 4771; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134771 - 01 Jul 2023

Viewed by 393

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to study the effects of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the strength and electrical properties of cement mortar. Molecular dynamic simulations (MDSs) were carried out to determine the mechanical and electrical properties of a cementitious composite and its associated mechanisms. To model the atomic structure of a calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel, tobermorite 11Å was chosen. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) embedded in a tobermorite structure were tested numerically. In particular, it was concluded that a piezoelectric effect can be effectively simulated by varying the concentration levels of carbon nanotubes. The deformation characteristics were analyzed by subjecting a sample to an electrical field of 250 MV/m in the z-direction in a simulation box. The results indicated a progressively stronger converse piezoelectric response with an increasing proportion of carbon nanotubes. Additionally, it was observed that the piezoelectric constant in the z-direction, denoted by d33, also increased correspondingly, thereby validating the potential for generating an electrical current during sample deformation. An innovative experiment was developed for the electrical characterization of a cementitious composite of carbon nanotubes. The results showed that the electrostatic current measurements exhibited a higher electric sensitivity for samples with a higher concentration of CNTs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Binders for Construction Materials (Second Volume))

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Special Issue "Advances in Binders for Construction Materials (Second Volume)"

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