Effect of elevated temperatures on mechanical properties of high‐strength concrete containing varying proportions of hematite

Aggregates typically constitute 70 to 80 wt% of concrete, and therefore their type, size, and structure play an essential role in modifying the properties of concrete. When concrete is used for shielding nuclear applications, temperature is also a key factor. This study investigates the effects of elevated temperatures (25 °C, 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C, and 800 °C), heating durations (1, 2, and 3 h), and cooling regimes (air, and water cooling) on mechanical properties of concrete containing different proportions of hematite. A sample of plain concrete was produced for comparison purposes by using river sand, crushed sand, and crushed aggregates. Replacement ratios of 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60% were used for hematite aggregates. The cement content and water–cement ratio were 450 kg/m³ and 0.38, respectively. Slump values of fresh concretes as well as unit weight, compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, and elasticity modulus values of hardened concrete were determined. The addition of hematite into concrete seems to improve its mechanical properties, and hematite concretes have better thermal stability at elevated temperatures than plain concrete does. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physical,mechanical, and water absorption behavior of coir/glass fiber reinforced epoxy based hybrid composites

Fiber reinforced polymer composites has been used in a variety of application because of their many advantages such as relatively low cost of production, easy to fabricate, and superior strength compare to neat polymer resins. Reinforcement in polymer is either synthetic or natural. Synthetic fiber such as glass, carbon, etc. has high specific strength but their fields of application are limited due to higher cost of production. Recently there is an increase interest in natural composites which are made by reinforcement of natural fiber. In this connection, an investigation has been carried out to make better utilization of coconut coir fiber for making value added products. The objective of the present research work is to study the physical, mechanical, and water absorption behavior of coir/glass fiber reinforced epoxy based hybrid composites. The effect of fiber loading and length on mechanical properties like tensile strength, flexural strength, and hardness of composites is studied. The experimental results reveal that the maximum strength properties is observed for the composite with 10 wt% fiber loading at 15 mm length. The maximum flexural strength of 63 MPa is observed for composites with 10 wt% fiber loading at 15 mm fiber length. Similarly, the maximum hardness value of 21.3 Hv is obtained for composites with 10 wt% fiber loading at 20 mm fiber length. Also, the surface morphology of fractured surfaces after tensile testing is examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM). POLYM. COMPOS., 35:925–930, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Dispersion,Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Epoxy Resin Composites Filled with the Nanometer Carbon Black

The nanometer carbon black (CB) was employed to prepare epoxy resin/carbon black (EP/CB) composites by blending-casting method. The different modified methods of silicone coupling agent were used to improve the dispersion of CB in epoxy resin. The mechanical and thermal properties of EP/CB composites were investigated. Experimental results showed that the mechanical properties increased at first, but decreased with excessive addition of CB. When the mass fraction of CB was 2%, the mechanical properties were maximum. The use of modified CB significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of the composites. For given CB loading, the CB modified by pretreatment method displayed better dispersion in the epoxy resin than that of the direct mixing method. SEM observation revealed that the tensile fracture surface of the composite filled with 2 wt% modified CB held more microcracks than that of 5 wt% modified CB, and the formed microcracks could consume more energy of rupture, finally to have better tensile strength. DSC analysis showed that the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the composites increased with the increasing mass fraction of CB.     

Comparative study of epoxy and polyester resin-based polymer concretes

This paper presents a comparative evaluation of two types of polymer concretes, prepared with two different polymer binders (epoxy and polyester resins) with identical aggregate in both cases (crushed quartzite and silica sand). Comparison is also made with a conventional cement concrete. Properties studied include strength (compressive, split-tensile, flexural and impact), setting shrinkage, abrasion and resistance to various chemicals. Both polyester concrete and epoxy concrete show far superior properties than cement concrete. It is further shown that the polyester concrete properties can be improved upon to approach those of the epoxy concrete by modifications such as incorporation of calcium carbonate microfiller and/or addition of a suitable silane coupling agent.     

Properties of rubberized concretes containing silica fume

A test program was carried out to develop information about the mechanical properties of rubberized concretes with and without silica fume. Two types of tire rubber, crumb rubber and tire chips, were used as fine and coarse aggregate, respectively, in the production of rubberized concrete mixtures which were obtained by partially replacing the aggregate with rubber. Six designated rubber contents varying from 2.5% to 50% by total aggregate volume were used. The concretes with silica fume were produced by partial substitution of cement with silica fume at varying amounts of 5–20%. Totally, 70 concrete mixtures were cast and tested for compressive and splitting tensile strengths, and static modulus of elasticity in accordance to ASTM standards. The design strength level ranging from 54 to 86 MPa was achieved using water–cementitious material (w/cm) ratios of 0.60 and 0.40. Test results indicated that there was a large reduction in the strength and modulus values with the increase in rubber content. However, the addition of silica fume into the matrix improved the mechanical properties of the rubberized concretes and diminished the rate of strength loss. Results also revealed that a rubber content of as high as 25% by total aggregate volume might be practically used to produce rubberized concretes with compressive strength of 16–32 MPa.     

Simultaneous improvements in the cryogenic tensile strength,ductility and impact strength of epoxy resins by a hyperbranched polymer

Improvements in mechanical properties at low temperatures are desirable for epoxy resins such as diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) that are often used in cryogenic engineering applications. In this study, a hydroxyl functionalized hyperbranched polymer (H30) is employed to improve the mechanical properties of a DGEBA epoxy resin at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K). The results show that the tensile strength, failure strain (ductility) and impact strength at 77 K are simultaneously improved by adding a proper content of H30. The maximum tensile strength at 77 K is increased by 17.7% from 98.2 MPa of pure epoxy resin to 115.6 MPa of modified epoxy system for the 10 wt% H30 content. The failure strain at 77 K increases consistently with the increase of H30 content. The maximum impact strength at 77 K is attained by introduction of 10 wt% H30 with an improvement of 26.3% over that of pure epoxy resin. For the purpose of comparison, the mechanical properties of modified epoxy resins at room temperature (RT) are also investigated. It is interesting to note that the impact strength is not lower at 77 K than that at RT for the modified systems. Moreover, the glass transition temperature (T_g) is not reduced by the addition of H30 in appropriate amounts.     

聚合物改性自密实混凝土的工作性能及力学性能

聚合物改性水泥混凝土具备较好的抗拉性能和耐久性,其应用较为广泛,而聚合物改性自密实混凝土的应用较少.本文主要针对环氧树脂改性自密实混凝土基本力学性能和工作性能进行研究,试验采用四种掺量(0％、5％、10％、15％,质量分数)的环氧树脂,得到不同环氧树脂掺量对改性自密实混凝土基本力学性能和工作性能的影响.结果表明:与普通...     

Influence of amount of recycled coarse aggregates and production process on properties of recycled aggregate concrete

In this study recycled coarse aggregates obtained by crushed concrete were used for concrete production. Four different recycled aggregate concretes were produced; made with 0%, 25%, 50% and 100% of recycled coarse aggregates, respectively. The mix proportions of the four concretes were designed in order to achieve the same compressive strengths. Recycled aggregates were used in wet condition, but not saturated, to control their fresh concrete properties, effective w/c ratio and lower strength variability. The necessity to produce recycled aggregate concrete with low-medium compressive strength was verified due to the requirement of the volume of cement. The influence of the order of materials used in concrete production (made with recycled aggregates) with respect to improving its splitting tensile strength was analysed. The lower modulus of elasticity of recycled coarse aggregate concretes with respect to conventional concretes was measured verifying the numeral models proposed by several researchers.     

SAP内养生路面混凝土收缩性能及力学性能研究

超吸水性树脂(SAP)作为一种内养生材料,对混凝土力学性能、收缩性能等均具有显著改善作用,在公路混凝土路面中具有十分重要的应用价值.本文通过对混凝土力学性能、收缩变形及内部相对湿度进行研究,并通过SEM对SAP内养生混凝土内部微观形貌、裂缝特征进行分析.结果表明:SAP的加入能显著降低混凝土毛细孔隙间的范德华力,抑制混...     

水泥细度对早龄期碾压混凝土综合抗裂性的影响(英文)

水泥水化热与比表面积和化学组成有关,但是相对于调整水泥的化学组成来说,通过减小水泥的比表面积来降低水泥水化热要容易得多。为了探索水泥比表面积与碾压混凝土抗裂性能的关系,采用相同熟料磨制了3种细度的水泥,研究了水泥细度对水化热、胶砂强度的影响,以及对混凝土的工作性、力学性能(抗压强度、抗拉强度和抗拉弹性模量)、极限拉伸值、绝热温升等性能的影响;同时,采用温度–应力试验机,评估了在100%约束和近似绝热条件下水泥细度对早龄期碾压混凝土综合抗裂性能的影响。结果表明:水化热与比表面积成线性关系,降低水泥比表面积是降低混凝土温升的有效、便捷的措施;粗磨水泥提高了碾压混凝土的工作性,降低了混凝土的抗压强度和弹性模量,但混凝土极限拉伸值没有明显变化;温度–应力试验表明,随着水泥比表面积的降低,混凝土第二零应力温度更低,粗磨水泥碾压混凝土综合抗裂风险更低。     

High-density polyethylene reinforced by low loadings of electrochemically exfoliated graphene via melt recirculation approach

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the effectiveness of high-aspect ratio electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EEG) as a filler in high-density polyethylene (HDPE); we use an industrially viable polymer processing technique (melt blending with melt recirculation) to ensure excellent dispersion and reinforcement at low loadings. The effects of nanofiller loading were evaluated for two different HDPE grades with two different melt flow indices (MFI) based on crystallization, tensile, and rheological properties. The findings indicate improvements in mechanical properties (tensile modulus and tensile strength) for all HDPE/EEG nanocomposite samples; however, the reinforcement was more pronounced at 0.2 wt% loading, indicating a transition from excellent dispersion at lower loadings to aggregated at higher loadings. The low and high MFI HDPE/EEG nanocomposites at 0.2 wt% EEG loading displayed an improvement of 31% and 40% in tensile modulus and 19% and 33% in tensile strength, respectively. The improved mechanical response with higher MFI nanocomposites is likely due to enhanced dispersion associated with the lower melt viscosity. Similarly, the rheological results also showed maximum increase in storage and loss modulus at a loading of 0.2 wt% EEG. In conclusion, EEG can be an effective filler if proper dispersion is achieved, which is challenging at high loadings.     

Enhanced mechanical properties of epoxy composites using cellulose micro- and nano-crystals

Epoxy polymers are commonly utilized in structural applications due to their high bearing capacity and excellent chemical resistance. However, their inherent brittleness poses a significant challenge for their use in high shock and fracture strength products. To address this shortcoming, fillers can be incorporated into the polymer during preparation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of incorporating cellulose-based fillers, namely cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), on the mechanical properties of epoxy polymer composites. The study evaluated the impact of various factors, including filler concentration, particle size, and moisture content, on the mechanical properties of the composites. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of CNC or MCC powders at concentrations below 5% could enhance the mechanical properties of the resulting epoxy composites without adversely affecting their surface and thermal properties. The maximum tensile strength and fracture toughness of the filler-based epoxy composites were achieved at 2 and 4 wt% for CNCs and MCC, respectively. CNCs with a smaller particle size distribution were found to be much more effective than MCC in improving the mechanical properties of the epoxy composites. Furthermore, utilizing dried fillers resulted in a higher improvement in tensile strength, which was achieved at lower filler concentrations.     

Effect of peanut shell content on mechanical,thermal, and biodegradable properties of peanut shell/polylactic acid biocomposites

Peanut shell (PNS) was combined with polylactic acid (PLA) to form biocomposites. The biocomposites, with up to 40 wt% PNS, were prepared using a twin–screw extruder. The effect of PNS content on the thermal, mechanical, thermomechanical, morphological, and biodegradable properties was studied. The results showed that the addition of PNS caused a reduction of the melting temperature and the decomposition temperature. Furthermore, the crystallinity of the biocomposites slightly increased with increasing PNS up to 30 wt%. The morphological study showed poor interfacial adhesion between the PNS and PLA matrix. Nevertheless, the mechanical properties revealed that the maximum tensile strength and Young's modulus were at a 30 wt% PNS loading and decreased as more PNS was incorporated into the PLA matrix. The impact strength decreased with an increase in PNS content. The addition of PNS showed significantly improvement of the storage modulus of PLA at high temperature (>80°C). Moreover, the presence of PNS enhanced the biodegradability of the biocomposites. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:682–690, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

The effect of dicalcium silicate (C2S) and tricalcium silicate (C3S) on the thermal stability of vinyl-type polymer concrete

The effect of anhydrous cement on the thermal stability of vinyl-type polymer concretes has been studied by investigating the interaction between the polymers and the calcium compounds of cement. It was proven from differential scanning calorimetry that C₂S and C₃S have a significant effect on the thermal stability of polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene. From infrared analysis, the reaction mechanism appears to occur between the calcium oxide in the filler and the -CH₂- groups in the polymer. Polymer concrete containing 17 wt% C₂S maintained excellent strength after exposure for 30 days to 25% brine solutions and to air at 238°C.     

Mechanical properties and fracture behaviors of epoxy composites with phase‐separation formed liquid rubber and preformed powdered rubber nanoparticles: A comparative study

Epoxy composites filled with phase‐separation formed submicron liquid rubber (LR) and preformed nanoscale powdered rubber (PR) particles were prepared at different filler loading levels. The effect of filler loading and type on the rheological properties of liquid epoxy resin suspensions and the thermal and mechanical properties of the cured composites as well as the relative fracture behaviors are systematically investigated. Almost unchanged tensile yield strength of the cured epoxy/PR composites is observed in the tensile test compared with that of the neat epoxy; while the strength of the cured epoxy/LR composites shows a maximum value at ∼4.5 wt% and significantly decreases with increasing LR content. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the cured PR/epoxy has shifted to the higher temperature in the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis compared with that of the cured pure epoxy and epoxy/LR composites. Furthermore, the presence of LR results in highly improved critical stress intensity factor (K_IC) of epoxy resin compared with the corresponding PR nanoparticles. In particular, the PR and LR particles at 9.2 wt% loading produce about 69 and 118% improvement in K_IC of the epoxy composites, respectively. The fracture surface and damage zone analysis demonstrate that these two types of rubber particles induce different degrees of local plastic deformation of matrix initiated by their debonding/cavitation, which was also quantified and correlated with the fracture toughness of the two epoxy/rubber systems. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:785–799, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Properties of alite cements

For carrying out a comprehensive investigation on physical and mechanical properties of alite mortars and concretes, large quantities of monoclinic alite were produced at the University of California at Berkeley. Laboratory-size specimens were employed to determine strength, drying shrinkage, and sulfate resisting characteristics of mortars and concretes made with alite cements. Small amounts of gypsum (3%) addition accelerated the setting and hardening of the alite cements, however, large amounts (6%) resulted in strength deterioration. Drying shrinkage of alite concretes was significantly lower than portland cement concretes of the same fineness. Long term sulfate immersion of concrete specimens made with an alite cement caused serious spalling and strength loss.     

稻壳二氧化硅/环氧树脂纳米复合材料机械性能研究

将稻壳用10%的盐酸处理后在600℃焚烧得到纯度为99.3%的SiO_2,将SiO_2用偶联剂γ-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷(KH550)改性后与环氧树脂(EP)复合,探讨了SiO_2质量分数在0～5%范围内复合材料的力学性能.研究结果显示:经硅烷偶联剂KH550改性后稻壳SiO_2粒子为无定形态,尺寸在30～50 nm且能显著提高环氧树脂的力学性能.当稻壳SiO_2质量分数为3%时,材料的拉伸性能以及弯曲性能的提高率最大,拉伸强度、拉伸模量、弯曲模量和弯曲强度的提高率分别为27.25%、6.54%、61.7%和24.56%.SEM研究结果显示:复合材料中SiO_2与基体树脂之间有较好的相容性.     

Incorporation of hyperbranched polyamide‐functionalized graphene oxide into epoxy for improving interfacial and mechanical properties

The incorporation of hyperbranched polyamide‐functionalized graphene oxide (HPA‐GO) into epoxy was proposed to improve the interfacial and mechanical properties. Benefiting from improved dispersion and strengthened interfacial interaction, epoxy composites with HPA‐GO showed significant improvements in mechanical and thermomechanical properties at low GO loading. The interaction at the HPA‐GO/epoxy interface was investigated to confirm the occurrence of chemical bonding. Strong interfacial bonding improved the stress transfer and distribution of HPA‐GO/epoxy interface. Accordingly, the overall strength of epoxy composites was effectively improved on account of the uniform dispersion of HPA‐GO and interfacial chemical interaction between HPA‐GO and epoxy. Compared with neat epoxy resin, the inclusion of 0.10 wt% HPA‐GO led to 310.5 and 37.2% increase in impact strength and tensile strength, respectively. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

纳米SiO2/竹纤维/环氧树脂复合材料性能研究

将竹纤维加入到环氧树脂中以形成增强环氧复合材料,研究了竹纤维竹粉和纳米二氧化硅（SiO2）对环氧树脂的力学性能和耐溶剂浸蚀性能的影响。竹纤维含量为15%时,竹纤维/环氧树脂的冲击强度比纯环氧树脂提高50%。纳米SiO2能同时增强和增韧竹纤维/环氧树脂,并提高其耐溶剂浸蚀性能,纳米SiO2含量为4%时,纳米SiO2/竹纤维/环氧树脂三元复合材料的冲击和拉伸强度分别比未添加纳米SiO2的竹纤维/环氧树脂提高40%和30%。当纳米SiO2/竹纤维/环氧树脂的质量比为4/15/85时,三元复合材料的综合性能较好。     

Impact modified epoxy/montmorillonite nanocomposites: synthesis and characterization

Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A type epoxy resin-polyether polyol-organically treated montmorillonite ternary nanocomposites were synthesized in this study. The effects of addition of polyether polyol as an impact modifier on morphological, thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry, impact and tensile testing. The results showed that organically treated montmorillonite is intercalated by epoxy, since the interlayer spacing expanded from 1.83 to 3.82 nm upon nanocomposite synthesis. The addition of polyether polyol impact modifier had no effect on the interlayer spacing. SEM examination showed that polyol forms an immiscible phase in the epoxy matrix. Thermal characterization of nanocomposites indicated an increase in T_g with respect to both polyether polyol and montmorillonite contents. The impact strength of the samples with no clay was improved approximately 160% upon adding 7 wt% polyether polyol. In polyether polyol modified nanocomposites, the impact and tensile strengths decreased with respect to increasing amount of montmorillonite and showed a maximum with respect to the polyether polyol content at constant clay loading. The Young's modulus of the nanocomposites exhibited an increase with respect to the montmorillonite loading and showed a maximum with respect to the polyol content at each clay loading.