Compatibility Investigations on Polymer-Fiber-Reinforced Cements Modified with Polymer Latexes

Abstract

Summary: In construction, polymer fibers are commonly applied beside steel, glass and mineral fibers to improve material's flexibility to shear stress. As in other composite systems, there are compatibility problems present between the fibers and the cement due to the different chemical natures and the different thermal expansion coefficients of the cement and the polymers. Within this study the interactions between two Portland cements and polymer fibers were investigated by SEM and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. To improve the wetting ability of the polymer fibers by the cement matrix, redispersible latex powders were successfully applied to improve the adhesion between the cement matrix and the fibers. Within this study, several solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy methods, detecting 1H, 13C, 27Al and 29Si nuclei, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were applied. Thus, cement pastes, inorganic additives and organic admixtures could be monitored individually. SEM images of the interface between poly(propylene) fibers and Portland cement, hardened and hydrated in the presence of a 2 wt.-% poly[(vinyl acetate)-co-ethylene] latex.