Effect of nanosilica-doped superplasticizer on the properties of cement mortars

Abstract

Recently, nanotechnology has attracted a considerable scientific interest due the potential new uses of non-particles, which can improve the properties of cement mortars or concretes, such as Nanosilica. Nanoparticles, like those of nanosilica, have been shown to have unique physical and chemical properties different from those of conventional cement additions. Nanosilica was used either to replace part of the cements or as an addition to improve the performance of the cement such as accelerating the hydration of the cement phases. This work investigates the effect of nanosilica adding to superplasticizer on fresh and hardened properties of cement mortars. For this, three superplasticizer types of three different firms doped with nanosilica (NS) at 1.5% wt. of superplasticizer (SP) to estimate the effect of nanosilica-based superplasticizer on the properties of cement mortars in the fresh and hardened state. An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the three SP based on NS on fresh and hardened properties. Our results show that nanosilica is compatible with the three superplasticizer, what is remarkable on the mortars in the fresh state, with a good workability which is between (24cm and 28cm) and a total absence of segregation which acts on the mechanical properties of the self-consolidating mortar in (3,7 and 28 days).