Inhibiting Freeze-Thaw Damage in Cement Paste and Concrete by Mimicking Nature’s Antifreeze

Abstract

Since the 1930s, surfactant-based air-entraining admixtures (AEAs) have been used to mitigate freeze-thaw damage in cementitious materials. While effective, entrained air voids weaken concrete and increase its permeability, thereby increasing susceptibility to multiple other forms of in situ degradation. Inspired by nature, we report that a soluble biomimetic antifreeze polymer that displays ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) and dynamic ice shaping (DIS) activities can prevent damage from ice crystal growth in cement paste and concrete. We first report that polyethylene glycol-graft-polyvinyl alcohol (PEG-PVA) mimics the explicit IRI and DIS activity of native ice-binding proteins in high-pH media characteristic of concrete pore solution. Second, we report that addition of PEG-PVA to cement paste and concrete prevents freeze-thaw damage without entraining air. Taken together, the findings demonstrate an alternative mechanistic approach to AEAs that can be leveraged to prevent damage from ice crystal growth in cementitious materials.