- Author
- Clifton, J. R. | Fearn, J. E. | Anderson, E. D.
- Title
- Polymer Impregnated Hardened Cement Pastes and Mortars. Building Science Series Report (Final).
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Report
- NBS BSS 083, April 1976,
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- concretes; mortars; polymethyl methacrylate; impregnating; polymerization; microstructure; electron microscopy; porosity; compressive strength; fractures (materials); elastic properties; fracture toughness; mechanical properties
- Identifiers
- concrete polymer composites; scanning electron microscopy
- Abstract
- Polymer impregnated hardened cement pastes and mortars have been prepared and their properties compared to those of control specimens. Specimens were made by impregnating dried and evacuated precast hardened cement pastes and mortars with methyl methacrylate, under pressure, which was thermally polymerized. The effects of the microstructure of the cement pastes and mortars on the performance of polymer impregnated mortars were determined by preparing specimens with a wide range of porosities by varying the water to cement ratio and the curing times prior to impregnation. The properties of impregnated and control specimens were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, porosity determinations, fracture mechanics studies, and strength determinations. The polymer impregnated materials had compressive and flexural strengths, moduli of elasticity, and fracture toughnesses which were substantially higher than unimpregnated materials.