scholarly journals An Investigation of Suitable Healing Agents for Vascular-Based Self-Healing in Cementitious Materials

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 12948
Author(s):  
Yasmina Shields ◽  
Tim Van Mullem ◽  
Nele De Belie ◽  
Kim Van Tittelboom

Self-healing cementitious materials can extend the service life of structures, improve safety during repair activities and reduce costs with minimal human intervention. Recent advances in self-healing research have shown promise for capsule-based and intrinsic healing systems. However, limited information is available regarding vascular-based self-healing mechanisms. The aim of this work is to compare different commercially available healing agents regarding their suitability in a self-healing vascular network system by examining a regain in durability and mechanical properties. The healing agents investigated include sodium silicate, two polyurethanes, two water repellent agents and an epoxy resin. Sealing efficiencies above 100% were achieved for most of the healing agents, and both polyurethanes and the epoxy resin showed high regain in strength. The results obtained from this study provide a framework for selecting a healing agent given a specific application, as a healing agent’s rheology and curing properties can affect the optimal geometry and design of a vascular network.

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1725
Author(s):  
Wei Du ◽  
Quantao Liu ◽  
Runsheng Lin ◽  
Xin Su

Self-healing of cracks in cementitious materials using healing agents encapsulated in microcapsules is an intelligent and effective method. In this study, microcapsules were prepared by the melt–dispersion–condensation method using microcrystalline wax as the shell and E-51 epoxy resin as the healing agent. The effects of preparation process parameters and microcrystalline wax/E-51 epoxy resin weight ratio on the core content, particle size distribution, thermal properties, morphology, and chemical composition of microcapsules were investigated. The results indicated that the optimal parameters of the microcapsule were microcrystalline wax/E-51 epoxy resin weight ratio of 1:1.2, stirring speed of 900 rpm, and preparation temperature of 105 °C. The effects of microcapsules on pore size distribution, pore structure, mechanical properties, permeability, and ultrasonic amplitude of mortar were determined, and the self-healing ability of mortar with different contents of microcapsules was evaluated. The optimal content of microcapsules in mortars was 4% of the cement weight, and the surface cracks of mortar containing microcapsules with an initial width of 0.28 mm were self-healed within three days, indicating that microcapsules have excellent self-healing ability for cementitious materials.


2011 ◽  
Vol 374-377 ◽  
pp. 1899-1903
Author(s):  
Xiong Zhou Yuan ◽  
Wei Sun ◽  
Xiao Bao Zuo

Based on detailed consideration of the autonomic healing concept of microencapsulated healing agent, micro- bacteria induced calcite and shape memory alloys, our research team proposed a new self-healing technique coupled with of SMA and heat-melt adhesive. In this article, chemical stability and bonding strength with cementitious materials of PA heat-melt adhesive were tested. Experimental results show that PA heat-melt adhesive may contain the ability being used in self-healing techniques coupled with SMA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-85
Author(s):  
Rahul Roy ◽  
Emanuele Rossi ◽  
Johan Silfwerbrand ◽  
Henk Jonkers

AbstractCrack formation in concrete structures due to various load and non-load factors leading to degradation of service life is very common. Repair and maintenance operations are, therefore, necessary to prevent cracks propagating and reducing the service life of the structures. Accessibility to affected areas can, however, be difficult as the reconstruction and maintenance of concrete buildings are expensive in labour and capital. Autonomous healing by encapsulated bacteria-based self-healing agents is a possible solution. During this process, the bacteria are released from a broken capsule or triggered by water and oxygen access. However, its performance and reliability depend on continuous water supply, protection against the harsh environment, and densification of the cementitious matrix for the bacteria to act. There are vast methods of encapsulating bacteria and the most common carriers used are: encapsulation in polymeric materials, lightweight aggregates, cementitious materials, special minerals, nanomaterials, and waste-derived biomass. Self-healing efficiency of these encapsulated technologies can be assessed through many experimental methodologies according to the literature. These experimental evaluations are performed in terms of quantification of crackhealing, recovery of durability and mechanical properties (macro-level test) and characterization of precipitated crystals by healing agent (micro-level test). Until now, quantification of crack-healing by light microscopy revealed maximum crack width of 1.80mm healed. All research methods available for assesing self-healing efficiency of bacteria-based healing agents are worth reviewing in order to include a coherent, if not standardized framework testing system and a comparative evaluation for a novel incorporated bacteria-based healing agent.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 3711
Author(s):  
Mohammad Fahimizadeh ◽  
Ayesha Diane Abeyratne ◽  
Lee Sui Mae ◽  
R. K. Raman Singh ◽  
Pooria Pasbakhsh

Crack formation in concrete is one of the main reasons for concrete degradation. Calcium alginate capsules containing biological self-healing agents for cementitious materials were studied for the self-healing of cement paste and mortars through in vitro characterizations such as healing agent survivability and retention, material stability, and biomineralization, followed by in situ self-healing observation in pre-cracked cement paste and mortar specimens. Our results showed that bacterial spores fully survived the encapsulation process and would not leach out during cement mixing. Encapsulated bacteria precipitated CaCO3 when exposed to water, oxygen, and calcium under alkaline conditions by releasing CO32− ions into the cement environment. Capsule rupture is not required for the initiation of the healing process, but exposure to the right conditions are. After 56 days of wet–dry cycles, the capsules resulted in flexural strength regain as high as 39.6% for the cement mortar and 32.5% for the cement paste specimens. Full crack closure was observed at 28 days for cement mortars with the healing agents. The self-healing system acted as a biological CO32− pump that can keep the bio-agents retained, protected, and active for up to 56 days of wet-dry incubation. This promising self-healing strategy requires further research and optimization.


2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Van Tittelboom ◽  
Nele De Belie ◽  
Denis Van Loo ◽  
Patric Jacobs

Nanomaterials ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 197
Author(s):  
Wei Du ◽  
Erwang Li ◽  
Runsheng Lin

As an intelligent material, microcapsules can efficiently self-heal internal microcracks and microdefects formed in cement-based materials during service and improve their durability. In this paper, microcapsules of nano-CaCO3/ceresine wax composite shell encapsulated with E-44 epoxy resin were prepared via the melt condensation method. The core content, compactness, particle size distribution, morphologies, chemical structure and micromechanical properties of microcapsules were characterized. The results showed that the encapsulation ability, mechanical properties and compactness of microcapsules were further improved by adding nano-CaCO3 to ceresine wax. The core content, elastic modulus, hardness and weight loss rate (60 days) of nano-CaCO3/ceresine wax composite shell microcapsules (WM2) were 80.6%, 2.02 GPA, 72.54 MPa and 1.6%, respectively. SEM showed that WM2 was regularly spherical with a rough surface and sufficient space inside the microcapsules to store the healing agent. The incorporation of WM2 to mortar can greatly improve the self-healing ability of mortar after pre-damage. After 14 days of self-healing, the compressive strength recovery rate, proportion of harmful pores and chloride ion diffusion coefficient recovery rate increased to 90.1%, 45.54% and 79.8%, respectively. In addition, WM2 also has good self-healing ability for mortar surface cracks, and cracks with initial width of less than 0.35 mm on the mortar surface can completely self-heal within 3 days.


2011 ◽  
Vol 99-100 ◽  
pp. 1087-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiong Zhou Yuan ◽  
Wei Sun ◽  
Xiao Bao Zuo

Based on detailed consideration of the autonomic healing concept of microencapsulated healing agent, micro- bacteria induced calcite and shape memory alloys, our research team proposed a new self-healing technique coupled with of SMA and heat-melt adhesive. In this article, chemical stability and bonding strength with cementitious materials of EVA heat-melt adhesive were tested. Experimental results show that EVA heat-melt adhesive may contain the ability being used in self-healing techniques coupled with SMA.


2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 125016 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Van Tittelboom ◽  
K Adesanya ◽  
P Dubruel ◽  
P Van Puyvelde ◽  
N De Belie

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