skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Understanding the role of a novel internal conditioning technique with functionalized montmorillonite in cement hydration kinetics
A novel internal conditioning (InCon) technique based on saturated sodium montmorillonite (sMT) functionalized with two non-ionic surfactants, polyoxyethylene (9) nonylphenylether and t-octyl phenoxy poly ethoxyethanol, is investigated in this study. With the integration of water for internal curing and pozzolanic reactivity in a single system, the role of InCon in modifying cement hydration kinetics is comprehensively elucidated. The results indicate that, in the presence of InCon, both silicate reaction and secondary aluminate reaction rates are enhanced, and the apparent activation energy (Ea) of cement hydration was decreased from 34.3 KJ/mol to 28.7 KJ/mol indicating a lower temperature sensitivity and threshold of the cement hydration reactions. In addition, decreased CH contents, improved degree of hydration, increased chemical shrinkage, and the formation of additional Csingle bondSsingle bondH and aluminum-containing phases were obtained from the cement with InCon. The autogenous shrinkage of cement and the negative impact of dry sMT on the early age strength of cement can be offset by InCon paving a new path to improve the overall properties of concrete.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1935799
PAR ID:
10482837
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
Elsevier
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Construction and Building Materials
Volume:
385
Issue:
C
ISSN:
0950-0618
Page Range / eLocation ID:
131223
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Cement substitution with calcined kaolinite–montmorillonite clay blends as an effective way to suppress alkali-silica reaction in cement composites containing reactive aggregates is investigated. Expansion, cracking behavior, mechanical properties and microstructure of the cement composites were investigated. Hydration of the ternary cement blends was also characterized. The results indicate that cement modification with a combination of calcined kaolinite–montmorillonite clays can effectively mitigate alkali-silica reaction-induced deteriorations. By incorporating 30% clays, the volume expansion of the cement composites was decreased from deleterious to innocuous level. Amount of cracks was decreased with increasing clay incorporations. In the presence of combined calcined clays, the strength gain of the cement composites is more significant the strength loss caused by alkali-silica reaction indicating the effective mitigation of this virulent reaction in concrete. 
    more » « less
  2. null (Ed.)
    In this study, we elucidate the reaction kinetics for the simultaneous hydrodeoxygenation of xylitol to 1,2-dideoxypentitol and 1,2,5-pentanetriol over a ReOx-Pd/CeO2 (2.0 weight% Re, 0.30 weight% Pd) catalyst. The reaction was determined to be a zero-order reaction with respect to xylitol. The activation energy was elucidated through an Arrhenius relationship as well as non-Arrhenius kinetics. The Arrhenius relationship was investigated at 150–170 °C and a constant H2 pressure of 10 bar resulting in an activation energy of 48.7 ± 10.5 kJ/mol. The investigation of non-Arrhenius kinetics was conducted at 120–170 °C and a sub-Arrhenius relation was elucidated with activation energy being dependent on temperature, and ranging from 10.2–51.8 kJ/mol in the temperature range investigated. Internal and external mass transfer were investigated through evaluating the Weisz–Prater criterion and the effect of varying stirring rate on the reaction rate, respectively. There were no internal or external mass transfer limitations present in the reaction. 
    more » « less
  3. null (Ed.)
    The effect of hydrogels containing nanosilica (NSi) on the autogenous shrinkage, mechanical strength, and electrical resistivity of cement pastes was studied. The interaction between the hydrogels and the surrounding cementitious matrix was examined using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The addition of hydrogels decreased autogenous shrinkage in the cement pastes and this reduction showed a dependence on the concentration of NSi in the hydrogels. Compressive strength and electrical resistivity were reduced in the cement pastes with hydrogels and this reduction was decreased with increased concentration of NSi in the hydrogel. A change in the phase composition of the cement paste in the region close to the hydrogel was noted, compared to the region away from the hydrogel. In a lime solution with increased pH and temperature, Ca(OH)2 and CaCO3 were found to form within the hydrogels; evidence of calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) formation in the hydrogels with NSi was obtained, indicating the possible pozzolanic potential of the hydrogels with NSi. 
    more » « less
  4. This study investigates the hydration, microstructure, autogenous shrinkage, electrical resistivity, and mechanical properties of Portland cement pastes modified with PEG-PPG triblock copolymers with varied molecular weights. The early age properties including setting time and hydration heat were examined using the Vicat test and isothermal calorimetry. The hydration products and pore size distribution were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nitrogen adsorption, respectively. Mechanical properties and electrical resistivity were evaluated using the compressive strength test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It was shown that the addition of the copolymers reduced the surface tension of the cement paste pore solution due to the presence of a hydrophobic block (PPG) in the molecular structure of the copolymers. The setting time and hydration heat were relatively similar in the control paste as well as the pastes modified with the copolymers. The results showed that copolymers were able to reduce the autogenous shrinkage in the paste due primarily to a reduction in pore solution surface tension. TGA showed a slight increase in the hydration degree of the paste modified with the copolymers. The compressive strength was reduced in the pastes modified with the copolymers that showed an increased volume of air voids. The addition of copolymers did not affect the electrical resistivity of the pastes except in the case where there was a large volume of air voids, which acted as electrical insulators. 
    more » « less
  5. Ga-and In-exchanged chabazite (CHA) zeolites with same Si/Al and metal/Al ratios were prepared via the incipient wetness impregnation method, were characterized using N-2 adsorption, electron microscopy, temperature-programed reactions and were evaluated for the ethane dehydrogenation reaction using flow microreactors. Ga-CHA has higher reaction rates and a lower activation energy of 107 kJ/mol than In-CHA (E-a = 175 kJ/mol). Rietveld refinement of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern shows that the In+ cation is predominantly located above the 6-ring of the CHA cage. It is proposed that the reaction proceeds through the alkyl mechanism based on stability of alkyl hydride intermediates as determined using DFT calculations. The oxidative addition of ethane to the metal shows much lower Gibbs free energy for Ga-CHA (+27.95 kJ/mol) vs In-CHA (+124.85 kJ/mol). These results indicate that oxidative addition may be the rate-limiting step of ethane dehydrogenation in these materials. 
    more » « less