ABSTRACT
EFFECT OF THE INCORPORATION CONTENT OF FUNCTIONALIZED NANOSILICA WITH SHRINKAGE-REDUCING ADDITIVE ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE OF CEMENTITIOUS COMPOSITES
Functionalized Nanosilica; Shrinkage-Reducing Admixture; Microstructure; Autogenous Shrinkage, Portland Cement
This dissertation falls within the application field of nanosilica (NS) as a supplementary cementitious nanomaterial (SNCM) in civil construction and aims to support nanoscience and nanotechnology as active areas for the development of high-performance cementitious materials, providing improvements in their physical and mechanical properties. In this context, this study aims to discuss the effects of using different contents of functionalized nanosilica (1% and 2%) from a commercial colloidal nanosilica and the reagent 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) - producing NSF - and, later, with shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA) - producing NSFArr - on the microstructure of cementitious composites. In order to investigate these effects, this experimental program will consist of producing NSFArr with a 10% SRA/NSF mass ratio and the efficiency of its functionalization will be evaluated using microstructural analysis techniques [dynamic light scattering (DLS) test, Zeta potential, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Seven different pastes and microconcretes will be produced: one using 100% Portland cement, three replacing 1% of the CP with NS, NSF and NFArr and three replacing 2% of the CP with the same SNCM mentioned above. Finally, this research aims to investigate the following properties of the resulting composites: setting time; time-zero; autogenous shrinkage; heat of hydration; compressive strength at 2, 7 and 28 days of hydration; the amount of CH and C-S-H; as well as porosity at 28 days of hydration.