Effect of Surface Penetrating Sealer on the Microstructure Properties of Cement-Based Composites
The effect of penetrating sealer on the structure of surface pore, mechanical properties, and durability of cement-based composites was studied. Concrete specimens with various water/cement ratios (w/c=0.35, 0.45, 0.55) were cast and treated surfaced with various amounts of penetrating sealer at different ages. The effect of penetrating sealer on the mechanical properties of concrete was assessed by compressive strength. And, the rapid chloride permeability was also explored to test concrete durability. Test results indicate that the application of penetrating sealer significantly improves concrete compressive strength and chloride resistance. By using scanning electron microscopes observation, the penetrating depth of penetrating sealer can be determined and is about 2 cm. The penetrating sealer in this study may be categorized as deep penetrating sealer.