Durability of Geopolymer Mortar Based on Waste-Glass Powder and Calcium Aluminate Cement in Acid Solutions

This study aims to provide a thermophysical characterization of a new economical and green mortar. This material is characterized by partially replacing the cement with recycled soda lime glass. The cement was partially substituted (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60% in weight) by glass powder with a water/cement ratio of 0.4. The glass powder and four of the seven samples were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The thermophysical properties, such as thermal conductivity and volumetric specific heat, were experimentally measured in both dry and wet (water saturated) states. These properties were determined as a function of the glass powder percentage by using a CT-Meter at different temperatures (20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C and 50 °C) in a temperature-controlled box. The results show that the thermophysical parameters decreased linearly when 60% glass powder was added to cement mortar: 37% for thermal conductivity, 18% for volumetric specific heat and 22% for thermal diffusivity. The density of the mortar also decreased by about 11% in dry state and 5% in wet state. The use of waste glass powder as a cement replacement affects the thermophysical properties of cement mortar due to its porosity as compared with the control mortar. The results indicate that thermal conductivity and volumetric specific heat increases with temperature increase and/or the substitution rate decrease. Therefore, the addition of waste glass powder can significantly affect the thermophysical properties of ordinary cement mortar.

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Physicochemical, Mineralogical, and Mechanical Properties of Calcium Aluminate Cement Concrete Exposed to Elevated Temperatures

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma14143855 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (14) ◽

pp. 3855

Author(s):

Amirmohamad Abolhasani ◽

Bijan Samali ◽

Fatemeh Aslani

Keyword(s):

Temperature Rise ◽

Calcium Aluminate ◽

Elevated Temperatures ◽

Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity ◽

Pulse Velocity ◽

Calcium Aluminate Cement ◽

Cement Concrete ◽

Sem Images ◽

Strength Deterioration ◽

Aluminate Cement

One commonly used cement type for thermal applications is CAC containing 38–40% alumina, although the postheated behavior of this cement subjected to elevated temperature has not been studied yet. Here, through extensive experimentation, the postheated mineralogical and physicochemical features of calcium aluminate cement concrete (CACC) were examined via DTA/TGA, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and the variation in the concrete physical features and the compressive strength deterioration with temperature rise were examined through ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) values. In addition, other mechanical features that were addressed were the residual tensile strength and elastic modulus. According to the XRD test results, with the temperature rise, the dehydration of the C3AH6 structure occurred, which, in turn, led to the crystallization of the monocalcium dialuminate (CA2) and alumina (Al2O3) structures. The SEM images indicated specific variations in morphology that corresponded to concrete deterioration due to heat.

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