Effect of ethylene vinyl acetate on cement mortar – A review

Abstract

Mortar is a mixture of sand, a binder and water. It is used as a paste, which hardens and fuses the masonry components used in the construction, such as stones, bricks or concrete. Polymers have been incorporated in Portland cement as property enhancers for a while. Since then, polymers have been used to improve the water retention, permeability, adhesive strength, workability and deformability of mortars and concretes. Cement concrete structures’ bearing capacity and durability are adversely affected by the brittleness of the cement material, which makes it simple to break under the influence of an external force. Various mechanical and physical properties of cement-based materials can be improved by using polymers, which have good elastic deformation capabilities, acid and alkali corrosion resistance, flexibility and compatibility with cement materials. Ethylene and vinyl acetate are copolymerized to form EVA or ethylene vinyl acetate. Excellent flex-crack and puncture resistance, a wide range of polar and nonporous substrate adhesion, and good hot-tack performance are just a few of the appealing qualities of EVA. The majority of research has demonstrated a beneficial effect of EVA on mortar performance. Foam rubber or Expanded rubber are the other popular names of EVA. EVA copolymers are adhesives that are utilised in packaging, bookbinding, and textile, for bonding plastic films, coated paper, and metal surfaces. The effectiveness of the EVA-modified mortar is examined in this paper. According to studies, the EVA-modified mortar's interface performance significantly increased as EVA was added to the mortar. While Scanning electron microscope studies were conducted for analysing the internal structure of EVA-added mortar, it was discovered that the EVA-cement composite had a three-dimensional net structure. Consequently, the mortar's cohesive strength rose. Also, Samples incorporated with EVA polymer waste had shown the ability of noise insulation. Incorporating EVA with CaO showed a positive effect on mortar performance. The risk of cracking was reduced in EVA-incorporated mortar. Thus, reviewing all the research papers it was found that the addition of EVA can considerably enhance the mortar’s physical as well as mechanical properties.