Influence of Dicyclopentadiene Co-Polymers on the Hardening Processes and Properties of Portland Cement Composites

Abstract

Dicyclopentadine (DCPD) polymers can be used for the manufacture of self healing materials due to their ability to form in the presence of a catalyst a highly cross-linked polycyclopendiene. The DCPD polymers selected for this work contain also another constituent sequence (maleic anhydride), therefore in this paper we assess also the possibility to use it for a potential self healing process. In this paper is presented the influence of two types of (DCPD) co-polymers based on maleic anhydride copolymers on the hardening processes and main properties of portland cement pastes and mortars, as a first step in the development of a self-healing cementitious composite. The properties (mechanical strengths and volume variations) of the cementitious composites with DCPD co-polymers are influenced by the chemical structure of the obtained compounds and curing medium (dry or humid air). The mortars with AM (maleic anhydride/dicyclopentadiene co-polymer) did not develop any mechanical strength due to an important swelling phenomenon determined by the hydrolysis of anhydride groups and sterical modifications in chain structures. The presence of APA (AM copolymer modified with p-amino phenyl acetic acid) decreases the compressive strengths but has a less important effect on the flexural strength. The APA polymer-cement interaction consists in a chelatization process involving the nitrogen atoms and hydrogen bonding of carboxyl groups providing, in this case, a good cohesion of the composite material. For both polymers a delay in cement hydration was noticed at early ages as well as the formation of organo-mineral phases.