The design and evaluation of a smart polymer-based fluids transport inhibitor

Abstract

The chloride transport through gel pores of cementitious matrixes determines the durability and sustainability of concrete, the most widely applied construction materials. In this work, a smart polymer is designed by molecular dynamics, which can effectively inhibit the transport of fluids throughout the nano-channels of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H). This polymer chain owns a high-polarity carboxyl group at one end, which can adsorb stably on the C–S–H surface by forming high-strength interfacial connections, while the rest parts are all hydrophobic alkyl groups. The polymer chain acts like a unilateral gate, which is open (lie on the matrix surface) when located in the dry nano-pore of C–S–H. Nevertheless, it can be closed rapidly (stand upright, vertical to the matrix), utilizing the hydrophobic groups to maximize the inhibiting effect once upon contact with the advancing fluids. Furthermore, a novel polymer-based nano-material is fabricated in the light of this philosophy, and the performance evaluation experiments are implemented. The results prove this material substantially decreases the water adsorption amount and chloride migration rate of the cement-based materials.