The influence of mortar-aggregate bond strength on the behaviour of concrete in uniaxial compression

Modification of aggregate surfaces by ball mill treatment with various grades of abrasive grit allowed concretes to be prepared which differed only in the surface texture of the coarse aggregate. Due to the dependence of mortar-aggregate bond strength on the texture of the aggregate surface, an assessment could thus be made of its influence on the behaviour of concrete in compression. Substantial changes in the stress and longitudinal strain at ultimate load were observed. These appeared to be caused mainly by the retardation of initial bond failure at Initiation Stress due to the increased bond strength of the rougher aggregates. The occurrence of mortar-aggregate columns and cone-like deposits of mortar at the “poles” of aggregate particles was observed in failed concrete specimens and failure of the mortar-aggregate bond in both tension and compression-shear was confirmed.     

Effects of diacrylate monomers on the bond strength of polymer concrete to wet substrates

The bond strengths of polymer concretes containing up to 15% (based on polymer resin) of diacrylate (DA) monomers were examined and compared with those without DA. A change occurring with the addition of DA monomers was an increase in the bond strength of polymer concrete to wet substrates. Zinc diacrylate (ZDA) and calcium diacrylate (CDA) were each used as an additive to monomers and resins [methyl methacrylate (MMA), polyester, and two kinds of epoxies]. The variables were amount of the DA monomers and surface conditions (wet or dry and smooth or rough). Bond strengths were measured by tension bond. ZDA was found to improve the bond strength of MMA and polyester, whereas CDA improved the bond strength of epoxies. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 991–1000, 2003     

Experimental study on bond strength of fiber reinforced polymer rebars in normal strength concrete

The bond behavior of reinforcing bars is an important issue in the design of reinforced concrete structures and the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) rebars is a promising solution to handle the problems of steel reinforcement corrosion. This study investigates the bond characteristics of carbon and aramid FRP (CFRP and AFRP) bars embedded in normal strength concrete. A pullout test was performed on 63 normal strength concrete specimens reinforced with FRP and steel rebars with different embedment lengths and bar diameters. The average bond stress versus slip curve is plotted for all specimens and their failure modes are identified. The effects of the embedment length and diameter of an FRP rebar on its bond strength are examined in this work. The bond strengths obtained from the test results are compared with the predictions by the bond strength equation proposed by Okelo and Yuan (2005), and its validity is evaluated.     

The significance of nanoparticles on bond strength of polymer concrete to steel

Polymer concrete (PC) is a commonly used material in construction due to its improved durability and good bond strength to steel substrate. PC has been suggested as a repair and seal material to restore the bond between the cement annulus and the steel casing in wells that penetrate formations under consideration for CO₂ sequestration. Nanoparticles including Multi-Walled Carbon Nano Tubes (MWCNTs), Aluminum Nanoparticles (ANPs) and Silica Nano particles (SNPs) were added to an epoxy-based PC to examine how the nanoparticles affect the bond strength of PC to a steel substrate. Slant shear tests were used to determine the bond strength of PC incorporating nanomaterials to steel; results reveal that PC incorporating nanomaterials has an improved bond strength to steel substrate compared with neat PC. In particular, ANPs improve the bond strength by 51% over neat PC. Local shear stresses, extracted from Finite Element (FE) analysis of the slant shear test, were found to be as much as twice the apparent/average shear/bond strength. These results suggest that the impact of nanomaterials is higher than that shown by the apparent strength. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) measurements of epoxy with and without nanomaterials showed ANPs to influence curing of epoxy, which might explain the improved bond strength of PC incorporating ANPs.     

Effects of surface treatments on the shear bond strength of luting cements to zirconia

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of surface treatments on the shear bond strength of resin cements to zirconia. Material and methods: Sintered zirconia specimens (n = 192) were divided into four different surface treatment groups: control (no treatment); airborne-particle abrasion; glaze layer and hydrofluoric acid (HF) application, and hot etching solution application. Then, each group was divided into four subgroups (n = 12), and three different resin cements were applied to the zirconia surfaces. The shear bond strength value of each specimen was measured after 5000 thermo cycles. The failure types were examined with a stereomicroscope and the effects of the surface treatments were evaluated with a scanning electron microscope. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance and Tukey’s post hoc tests (α = 0.05). Results: The surface treatment and resin cement type significantly affected the bond strength results (p < 0.05). For all resin cements, the airborne-particle abrasion treatment increased the shear bond strength values (p < 0.05). The glaze layer & HF application increased shear bond strength values for all groups, except the Single Bond Universal-RelyX Unicem Aplicap group (p < 0.05). The surface roughness values of airborne-particle abraded specimens were similar to comparable values for specimens from the control group and the hot etching solution group (p > 0.05). The glaze layer & HF application group produced the highest surface roughness values (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study recommend using the appropriate combination of surface treatment and adhesive/silane coupling agent to achieve durable zirconia-resin bonding.     

The effect of polymer network structure upon the bond strength of epoxy–aluminum joints

The bond strength to aluminum of Epon 828 cured with various amounts of methylene dianiline has been investigated as a function of the resin network structure. In order to meet this objective, a torsional test for bond shear strength was developed, and fully cured resins with different network structures were prepared. The effects of the rate of loading of the joint and the aluminum surface pretreatment on the bond strength were also examined. Very high bond shear strengths, in excess of 9000 psi, were found for joints which after machining had been polished, vapor degreased, and treated with dilute sulfuric acid–potassium dichromate solution. It was found for these joints that the average bond strength decreased as the molecular weight between crosslinks increased. For the joints without acid–dichromate treatment, the failures were adhesive, and the network structure did not seem to significantly affect the bond strength. There are indications that chemical bonding occurred in the case of the acid–dichromatetreated joints; the decrease in bond strength as per cent excess amine and M_c increased is possibly associated with a decreased amount of chemical bonding. The bond strength increased to a limiting value as the rate of testing increased.     

Effects of different surface treatments of zirconia on the bond strength of self-adhesive resinous cement

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different zirconia surface treatments on the bond strength of two self-adhesive resinous cements (SARC).

Methods: Two hundred and eight cylindrical specimens were obtained from Y-TZP zirconia (half with diameter 3.2 mm and half with 4.8 mm). After sintering and polishing, specimens were divided into four groups (n = 26), according to surface treatment: Control (no treatment); Sandblasting (Al₂O₃ particles); Rocatec (Al₂O₃ particles, tribochemical silica coating and silane application); Laser (Nd: YAG laser: 20 Hz, 100 mJ, 0.2 J/cm²). The surface roughness (Ra) was evaluated after the surface treatments, and the groups were divided into two subgroups (n = 13), according to the SARC tested: RelyX U200 and Bifix SE. The 2.2-mm cylinders were bonded to 4.8-mm cylinders and stressed until failure under shear using a universal testing machine. Bond strength and Ra were analyzed using ANOVA, and Tukey’s test (α = 0.05).

Results: Surface treatment was significant (p < 0.0001), but cement type (p = 0.73) was not. Related to roughness, significant differences were found for the treatment type (p < 0.0001), with laser being the treatment with higher Ra values.

Conclusions: Nd:YAG laser produced a rougher surface and a higher bond strength compared with sandblasting, silicatization, and control groups.     

Femtosecond laser microstructuring of monolithic zirconia: Effects of laser parameters on resin bond strength

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different femtosecond (fs) laser treatment protocols on the surface roughness (Ra) and shear bond strength (SBS) of resin cement to zirconia. A total of 110 zirconia specimens were divided into 11 subgroups according to the surface treatment: Control (C), airborne-particle abrasion (APA), laser irradiation applying 400 mW, 600 mW, and 800 mW of 90 fs laser pulses with 1, 5, and 10 repetitions (Fs_(400/1), Fs_(400/5), Fs_(400/10), Fs_(600/1), Fs_(600/5), Fs_(600/10), Fs_(800/1), Fs_(800/5), and Fs_{(800/10) )}, respectively). Ra values were measured using a profilometer, and topographical changes were evaluated under a scanning electron microscope. X-ray diffraction analyses were performed to determine the crystallographic changes. Self-adhesive resin cement was bonded to zirconia specimens, and SBS tests were conducted. C and Fs_(800/10) groups exhibited the lowest and the highest Ra and SBS values, respectively. Regardless of the fs laser power, application of five and 10 repetitions resulted in higher Ra values than air-abrasion. Fs_(400/10), Fs_(600/5), Fs_(600/10), Fs_(800/5), and Fs_(800/10) groups showed higher SBS values than the APA group (p < .05), while SBS of other laser groups did not differ from the APA group (p > .05). Fs laser treatment protocols used in this study may be promising for zirconia-resin bonding. However, the effects of these treatments on the mechanical properties of zirconia need evaluation.     

Indirect estimation of fiber/polymer bond strength and interfacial friction from maximum load values recorded in the microbond and pull-out tests. Part I: local bond strength

The techniques aimed at adhesion strength measurement between reinforcing fibers and polymer matrices (the pull-out and microbond tests) involve the measurement of the force, F _max, required to pull out a fiber whose end is embedded in the matrix. Then, this maximum force value is used to calculate such interfacial parameters as the apparent bond strength, τ_app, and the local interfacial shear strength (IFSS), τ_d. However, it has been demonstrated that the F _max value is influenced by interfacial friction in already debonded regions, and, therefore, these parameters are not purely 'adhesional' but depend, in an intricate way, on interfacial adhesion and friction. In the last few years, several techniques for separate determination of adhesion and friction in micromechanical tests have been developed, but their experimental realization is rather complicated, because they require an accurate value of the external load at the moment of crack initiation. We have developed a new technique which uses the relationship between the maximum force and the embedded length ('scale factor') to separately measure fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion and friction. Using the equation for the current crack length as a function of the applied load, based on a stress criterion of interfacial debonding, we modeled the pull-out and microbond experiments and obtained the maximum force value versus the embedded length. By varying τ_d and interfacial friction, τ_f, to fit experimental plots, both interfacial parameters were estimated. The micromechanical tests were modeled for three types of specimen geometries (cylindrical specimens, spherical droplets, and matrix hemispheres in the pull-out test) with different levels of residual thermal stresses and interfacial friction. The effect of all these factors on the experimental results is discussed, and the importance of specimen geometry is demonstrated. One of the most interesting results is that the 'ultimate' IFSS (the limiting τ_app as the embedded length tends to zero) is not always equal to the 'local' bond strength.     

Properties of fly ash-modified cement mortar-aggregate interfaces

This paper investigates the effect of fly ash on strength and fracture properties of the interfaces between the cement mortar and aggregates. The mortars were prepared at a water-to-binder ratio of 0.3, with fly ash replacements from 15 to 55%. Notched mortar beams were tested to determine the flexural strength, fracture toughness, and fracture energy of the plain cement and fly-ash modified cement mortars. Another set of notched beams with mortar-aggregate interface above the notch was tested to determine the flexural strength, fracture toughness, and fracture energy of the interface. Mortar-aggregate interface cubes were tested to determine the splitting strength of the interface. It was found that a 15% fly ash replacement increased the interfacial bond strength and fracture toughness. Fly ash replacements at the levels of 45 and 55% reduced the interfacial bond strength and fracture toughness at 28 days, but recovered almost all the reduction at 90 days. Fly ash replacement at all levels studied increased the interfacial fracture energy. Fly ash contributed to the interfacial properties mainly through the pozzolanic effect. For higher percentages of replacement, the development of interfacial bond strength initially fell behind the development of compressive strength. But at later ages, the former surpassed the latter. Strengthening of the interfaces leads to higher long-term strength increases and excellent durability for high-volume fly ash concrete.     

Effects of different surface treatments on shear bond strength between ceramic systems and metal brackets

The aim of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets bonded to different kinds of ceramic surfaces after different surface conditioning methods. A total of 120 ceramic disks were divided into two main groups in terms of feldspathic or lithium disilicate. Each ceramic group was further subdivided into six subgroups depending on surface treatment (n = 10). The ceramic surfaces were conditioned by one of the following methods: Group C: control group; Group P: %37.5 orthophosphoric acid; Group HF: %9.6 hydrofluoric acid; Group L: Nd-YAG laser irradiation; Group SB: sandblasting with 50 µm Al₂O₃ particles; and Group DB: grinding with a diamond bur. Surface roughness value was evaluated with a digital profilometer. Surface topographies of one specimen from each group were observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) after surface treatments. All samples were primed with silane before the bracket bonding, including the control group. Metal brackets were bonded to the specimens with a light curing composite resin. The samples were stored in distilled water for 24?h and thermocycled 2500× at 5 and 55 ºC for 30?s. Shear bond strengths between the ceramic surface and the bracket were measured with a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Failure modes were classified as adhesive, cohesive, or mixed. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's tests (α = .05). Group SB had significantly rougher surface compared with the other groups in each ceramic system (p < .05), and Group SB demonstrated significantly higher shear bond strengths than other groups as well. Within the limitations of this study, surface conditioning methods, except for sandblasting and grinding, were associated with lower shear bond strengths; however, thermocycling may have had negative effects on bond strengths of specimens. Furthermore, in each ceramic system, there was a significant difference between surface-conditioning methods and surface roughness with regard to shear bond strength.     

Modeling nonisothermal impregnation of fibrous media with reactive polymer resin

The manufacture of polymer composites through resin transfer molding (RTM) or structural reaction injection molding (SRIM) involves the impregnation of a fibrous reinforcement in a mold cavity with a reactive polymer resin. The design of RTM and SRIM operations requires an understanding of the various parameters, such as materials properties, mold geometry, and mold filling conditions, that affect the resin impregnation process. Modeling provides a potential tool for analyzing the relationships among the important parameters. The present work provides the physical model and finite element formulations for simulating the mold filling stage. Resin flow through the fibers is modeled using two-dimensional Darcian flow. Simultaneous resin reaction and heat transfer among resin, mold walls, and fibers are considered in the model. The proposed technique emphasizes the use of the least squares finite element method to solve the convection dominated mass and energy equations for the resin. Excellent numerical stability of the proposed technique provides a powerful numerical method for the modeling of polymer processing systems characterized by convection dominated transport equations. Results from example numerical studies for SRIM of polyurethane/glass fiber composites were presented to illustrate the application of the proposed model and numerical scheme.     

Influence of pH and ionic strength on the metal profile of impregnation catalysts

In this study the influence of pH and ionic strength on the final metal distribution is investigated. After impregnation, catalysts are usually dried at temperatures between 50°C and 200°C. During this process, a redistribution of the metal occurs, which is a complex function of the drying conditions, the properties of the impregnating solution and the support material. In our model, transport in the gas and liquid phase is described by the dusty gas model, and the Nernst-Plank equation, respectively. The metal adsorption on the porous support is described by the Revised Physical Adsorption model developed by Agashe and Regalbuto (J. Colloid Interface Sci. 185 (1997) 174). In their model, the adsorption constant is a function of the pH and the ionic strength of the liquid solution. The results show that for a positively charged metal complex, the impact of drying is strong when the initial pH of the liquid solution is below the point of zero charge (PZC). In such a case, the metal accumulates at the particle surface when the convective flow is strong (high temperature), and at the particle center when the solute-metal diffusivity is high. A comparison of our model with a drying model that assumes a constant adsorption equilibrium constant shows that the variations of pH and ionic strength cannot be ignored when the initial adsorption constant is low and the pH below the PZC. In such cases, the adsorption constant increases over several orders of magnitude when pH and ionic strength effects are accounted for.     

Effects of Nafion impregnation on performances of PEMFC electrodes

The effect of Nafion loading on the electrode polarization characteristics of a conventional proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell electrode has been investigated in terms of both H₂/O₂ and H₂/air performance. Correlation of Nafion loading with the activation polarization characteristics shows an initial increase of activity upto a loading of 1.3 mg/cm² followed by a more gradual change with maxima at 1.9 mg/cm² for both oxygen and air. This trend correlated well with the decrease in charge transfer resistance and increase in the electrochemically active surface area. The contributions to the linear ohmic polarization region of both the H₂/O₂ and H₂/air performance are predominantly from ionic resistance as well as diffusional contributions in the catalyst layer. Among all the polarization losses those due to mass transport were the highest. Fits using a thin film agglomerate model showed a rapid increase in the film thickness with Nafion loading in the pores of the carbon of the catalyst layer followed by an equilibrium of 800 Å thickness at a Nafion loading of 1.9 mg/cm². Further additions caused deeper penetration of this Nafion film into the catalyst layer increasing the diffusional pathways for the reactant gases. These results correlate well with the mass transport characteristics in O₂ and air as well as morphological characterization of the electrode based on SEM and pore volume distributions.     

Influence of adhesive bond line thickness on joint strength

While the geometry of aerospace assemblies is carefully controlled, for many industrial applications such as marine structures bond line thickness can vary significantly. In this study epoxy adhesive joints of different thicknesses between aluminium substrates have been characterized using physico-chemical analyses (differential scanning calorimetry, DSC; dynamic mechanical analysis, DMA; spectroscopy), nano-indentation and mechanical testing. Thermal analyses indicated no influence of thickness on structure. Nano-indentation revealed no evidence of an interphase at the metal/epoxy interface, nor any change in modulus for different thicknesses, though Raman spectroscopy suggested there may be slight variations in composition close to the substrates. However, mechanical testing using the modified Arcan fixture indicated a significant drop in strength and failure strain under pure tension and a smaller reduction for tension/shear and pure shear loads as thickness increased. Examination of sections through joints did not indicate any physical reason for this, but numerical analysis of the stress state revealed larger stress concentration factors for tensile loading in thick joints, which may explain the thickness effect. It is recommended that joint thickness should be kept below 0.8 mm to avoid obtaining artificially low values with the Arcan test.     

Hydrogen bond detachment in polymer complexes

The hydrogen bonded polymer complex bulk and thin film was prepared by solution mixing and layer-by-layer assembly, respectively. Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVPON) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were hydrogen bonding acceptor polymers while poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) were hydrogen bonding donor polymers. The detachment of hydrogen bond between the chains in polymer complexes was investigated during the dissolution in alkaline solution, ionic liquid and tertiary amine N-oxide. We compared the dissolution process of the polymer complex bulk with the polymer complex thin film, and discussed the polymer chain length, chain entanglement degree and temperature effect on hydrogen bond detachment and dissolution of polymer complexes.     

Effect of hydroxyapatite morphology and quaternary ammonium polymer co-inclusion on bond strength,cytotoxicity, and cell morphology of self-etching adhesive

This study aimed to obtain and evaluate hydroxyapatites (HAp) as nanoparticles and nanorods for use in self-etching adhesive. The effect of co-inclusion of a multifunctional quaternary ammonium methacrylate polymer (QAMP) on their mechanical, cell viability, and morphological properties was also investigated. Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HApP24 and HApP36) and nanorod-shaped hydroxyapatite (HApR14) were characterized by XRPD, SEM-FEG, and FTIR spectroscopy. HApP24, HApP36, HApR14, and HApR14 + QAMP were added to Clearfil™ SE Bond. Microtensile bond strength (μTBS), cell viability (MTT method), and cell morphology (SEM) of these adhesives were studied. Characterization data confirmed that hydroxyapatites were successfully synthesized. Significant decrease μTBS was achieved for Clearfil™ SE Bond + HApP24 (p = 0.031) and Clearfil™ SE Bond + HApP36 (p = 0.008) when immediate (IM) and 12 months (12 M) were compared. No statistical difference (p > 0.05) was achieved when six months (6 M) and 12 M results of μTBS were compared for Clearfil™ SE Bond + HApR14. Clearfil™ SE Bond + QAMP, Clearfil™ SE Bond + HApR14 + QAMP, and Clearfil™ SE Bond presented no significant difference comparing storage periods. Lower cell viability was achieved when HApP24 and HApP36 were included to Clearfil™ SE Bond. Co-inclusion of QAMP + HApR14 into Clearfil™ SE Bond improved (p = 0.049) the viability of cells when compared to Clearfil™ SE Bond. SEM micrographs of fibroblast-like cells demonstrated consistent results with cell viability. This is the first report that hydrothermal nanorods of HAp and QAMP are co-included into adhesive system for providing remineralizing and antimicrobial properties at the same time as they kept bond stability.     

Asphalt impregnation of high strength mortar and concrete using temperature difference

Asphalt impregnation of steam cured high strength mortar and concrete is studied. The test specimens were dried at 105°C to constant weight and heated to temperatures between 50 and 350°C before impregnation. The impregnation was carried out at atmospheric pressure by dipping the test specimens into heated asphalt bath at 170°C (viscosity 35 cSt).The results showed that the impregnation depth increases with increase in concrete temperature. The highest impregnation depth achieved was at 225°C concrete temperature. The impregnation depth was regular (approximately 10 mm). Water absorption tested (after 7 days under water) was reduced by more than 99%.     

Microtensile bond strength testing of resin cements

To investigate the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) and failure mode of resin cements bonded to ceramic blocks following various surface treatments.Seventy-two Ceramco II (Ceramco lnc., Burlington, NJ) ceramic discs 10 mm in diameter and 4 mm thick were prepared. The ceramic specimens received 8 different surface conditions treatments before the application of resin cement. These surface treatments were sanding with 600-grit silicon carbide paper, microetching with aluminum oxide, sanding followed by silane application, microetching followed by silane application, hydrofluoric acid etching, hydrofluoric acid etching followed by silane application, application of adhesive resin, and combination of the previous two treatments (HF+S+Adh). Seventy-two extracted molars were ground flat at 90° to the long axis of the tooth until a sufficient circular area of dentin was exposed (at least 5 mm in diameter). Three resin cements were applied to these surfaces. After 24 h storage at 37 °C, the non-trimming version of μTBS test was used to produce 1 mm² microbars. The microbars were subjected to a tensile load using a modified testing device.Data were analyzed with 2-way analysis of variance. The interaction between the substrate surface treatment and cement type is significant (p<0.001).The results of this in vitro study suggest that when the tested ceramic restoration is cemented with a resin cement system, the ceramic should be etched with hydrofluoric acid, silane and adhesive should be applied prior to cementation. The results also suggest that an auto- or light-polymerizing cement should be considered instead of a dual-polymerizing cement.     

Effects of mixing techniques and dentin moisture conditions on push-out bond strength of ProRoot MTA and Biodentine

Objective: To evaluate the influence of manual and mechanical mixing techniques as well as the effects of moisture on the push-out bond strength of ProRoot MTA (Dentsply Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK, USA) and Biodentine (Septodont, Saint Maur des Fosses, France) to radicular dentin.

Material and methods: Two hundred and forty dentin discs were assigned into three groups with respect to the moisture condition tested: (1) dry, (2) paper points, (3) wet. The discs were further divided into four subgroups according to the calcium silicate cements (CSCs) and mixing techniques used: (1) ProRoot MTA mixed manually, (2) ProRoot MTA mixed mechanically, (3) Biodentine mixed manually, and (4) Biodentine mixed mechanically. Bond strengths of the cements to root canal dentin were measured using a push-out test setup. The data were statistically analyzed using three-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test p = 0.05.

Results: The data indicated that the push-out bond strength values were significantly affected by CSCs, mixing techniques, and moisture conditions (p < 0.001). Dry conditions caused a significant decrease in bond strength values for both CSCs (p < 0.001). The mean bond strength of Biodentine was significantly higher than that of ProRoot MTA, regardless of the mixing techniques and moisture conditions (p < 0.001). Mechanical mixing favored bond strength values statistically compared to manual mixing (p < .001).

Conclusion: The mixing techniques and moisture conditions have an effect on the push-out bond strengths of ProRoot MTA and Biodentine. Dry samples and manual mixing of cements deteriorate the push-out bond strengths values.