Strengthening Fiber-Cement Composites by Increasing Fiber Adhesion Using Bacterial Nanocellulose

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1- Dept. of Mining, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

10.29252/anm.2020.10235.1350

Abstract

Summary
The cement-based material is a strong and relatively cheap construction material and is therefore presently the most used construction material worldwide. This material is used as a mortar, concrete or shotcrete. Low tensile strength is an unavoidable and inherent weakness of most cement-based construction materials. Considering the wide-ranging applications of these materials, in this study, the potential of bacterial nano-cellulose on mechanical and physical properties of cement pastes was evaluated. For this purpose, the potential of bacterial nano-cellulose (BNC) as powder, gel, and coated onto Polypropylene fiber as a reinforcement in cement materials was investigated. The results of the flexural strength test showed, up to 103% increase in flexural strength of specimens containing 0.5 wt.% BNC powder compared to control specimens. In addition, specimens containing BNC-coated fibers showed improvement in compressive and flexural strength in comparison with normal fiber mortal specimens.
 
Introduction
Cement-based materials, such as concrete, are the most consumable substance after water and make up most of the construction environments such as bridges, dams, skyscrapers, roads, and apartments. In addition, the concrete is a heavyweight and brittle composite with a lower flexural and tensile strength compared to its compressive strength. To prevent crack expansion, the use of synthetic fibers, such as polypropylene has attracted the attention of researchers due to their high performance in concrete.
 
Methodology and Approaches
The aim of the present study is to peruse the effect of the bacterial nano-cellulose (BNC), produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinus microorganism, directly and indirectly (as a polypropylene fiber coating) in the preparation of cement mortar samples with different ages. In the direct procedure, bacterial nano-cellulose was added to mixing water in different percentages and in the indirect method the cement mortar samples made with plain polypropylene fibers and polypropylene fibers treatment with BNCs. The effect of both approaches on flexural strength, compressive strength, and water absorption of the resulting mortar was investigated.
 
Results and Conclusions
Results indicated that samples containing BNC gel and powder enhanced mechanical properties. However, BNC-gel indicated inferior properties compared to powder. Also, BNC-gel and powder decrease the water absorption of cement mortar. It was found that coating the polypropylene fibers with BNC improves the performance of these fibers in the cement composite due to the increase of the interfacial adhesion between the cement matrix and fibers. The results give clear evidence supporting the utility of BNC for enhancing the durability of cement paste.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Full Text

بتن به دلایلی همچون ارزانی، در دسترس بودن و راحتی ساخت به‌عنوان رایج‌ترین ماده؛ در ساخت‌وسازها استفاده‌شده است و طراحی آن تقریباً تمامی سیمان تولیدشده در جهان را به خود اختصاص می‌دهد[1، 2]. بتن یک ماده کامپوزیتی ترد است که استحکام خمشی و کششی پایینی در مقایسه با استحکام فشاریش دارد[3، 4]. کامپوزیت‌ها به ‌طور کلی یا از دو فاز مخلوط بتن و تقویت‌کننده و یا دارای فاز سومی به نام فاز میانی/ سطح مشترک هستند که مابین مخلوط بتن و تقویت‌کننده قرار دارند و عمل انتقال نیرو را انجام می‌دهند؛ اخیراً در این فاز با توجه به خصوصیات مخلوط بتن، از موادی استفاده‌شده که سبب افزایش استحکام کامپوزیت می‌شود[5]. بتن تازه توسط انقباض پلاستیک به خصوص تحت شرایط محیطی دچار ترک سطحی شده و این ترک گسترش پیداکرده و عمل تخریب را سرعت می‌بخشد. عملیات‌ ترمیم بتن بسیار هزینه‌بر بوده؛ به همین دلیل توجه پژوهشگران را برای افزایش خواص مقاومتی به خود جلب کرده است[3، 4]. بنابراین، بتن سنتی نمی‌تواند نیازهای ساخت‌وسازهای امروزی را برآورده کند، از این‌ رو مهندسان و پژوهشگران به دنبال تولید بتن‌هایی بادوام و کارایی بالا هستند. پیشرفت مواد افزودنی بتن طی چند دهه گذشته، فناوری بتن را به ‌طور قابل‌توجهی بهبود بخشیده است [6، 7]. روش‌های مختلفی برای غلبه بر نقایص بتن معمولی توسط بسیاری از پژوهشگران معرفی‌شده است. به ‌عنوان‌ مثال افزودن الیاف به مخلوط بتن به‌ عنوان راهی برای افزایش ظرفیت جذب انرژی و مقاومت در برابر ترک‌خوردگی بتن ساده شناخته‌شده است. تأثیر الیاف روی رفتار مواد شکننده از دو نظر‌ بررسی ‌شده است؛ کنترل انتشار ترک و افزایش فشار نهایی. نقش الیاف بستگی به حجم، نسبت ابعاد، قدرت و پیوند آن با مخلوط بتن دارد [8، 9]. علاوه بر بهبود استحکام خمشی و کششی بتن؛ حالت شکست آن نیز، از ترد به شبه نرم تغییر می‌کند[10].

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Journal of Analytical and Numerical Methods in Mining Engineering
Volume 10, Issue 22
May 2020
Pages 33-47

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History

  • Receive Date: 30 July 2018
  • Revise Date: 27 March 2020
  • Accept Date: 15 April 2020

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