Synthesis and Characterization of High-Performance Polymer-Intercalated/Exfoliated Cements

几十年来，先进水泥-聚合物复合材料一直是一个活跃的研究领域。通过在水泥中加入聚合物材料，无机颗粒可以通过聚合物基质牢固地结合在一起，因此，通常是水泥最弱方面的拉伸强度增加了一个数量级。基于最近在聚合物-硅酸盐纳米复合材料的研究中发展的插层和剥离技术，现在可以通过使用高耐热/耐湿性和成本效益的聚合物来增强水泥，并且保持与普通预制混凝土节段类似的加工条件。初步研究显示了令人鼓舞的结果。在温和的条件下，聚合物链可以插层在无机粒子的层间，伴随着硅酸盐纳米层剥离的副产物。PIEC将比普通水泥更坚固，至少与普通水泥一样耐用，并提供出色的成本效益平衡。通过本课题的研究，我们将开发出高性能的预制混凝土结构，推动预制技术的应用，并对建筑行业的结构设计、施工工艺、维护和维修技术等各个方面产生影响。由于大大降低了材料、运输、处理、放置的成本，以及环境和能源的节约，这将对经济产生巨大的好处。开发的PIEC和测试设备将用于一些本科生和研究生课程，以及一系列的研讨会，这将对土木工程系的课程产生重大影响。将特别鼓励女生和代表人数不足的少数民族参加这些研讨会和课程。本科生和研究生都将积极参与这个项目，并获得全面的经验。研究结果将在当地博物馆和图书馆展出，以增加公众对工程研究的了解。这一点，再加上基于网络的先进水泥聚合物复合材料的美德博物馆的发展，将是非常有帮助的高中生和新生保持在他们的职业道路的早期阶段在工程领域的兴趣。

Advanced cement-polymer composite has been an active research area for decades. By adding polymeric materials in cements, the inorganic particles can be strongly bonded together through the polymer matrix, and as a result the tensile strength, which is usuallythe weakest aspect of cements, is increased by order of magnitude. Based on the intercalation and exfoliation techniques developed recently in the research on polymer-silicate nanocomposites, it is now possible to reinforce cements by using polymers of high thermal/moisture resistance and cost efficiency, and keeps the processing condition similar to that of ordinary precast concrete segments. Preliminary research has shown encouraging results. The intercalation of the polymer chains between the interlayer of inorganic particles could be achieved under mild conditions with the ihby-productlc of the exfoliation of the silicate nanolayers. The PIEC will be stronger than the MDF cements and at least as durable as the ordinary cements, and offer an excellent cost-performance balance. Materials characterization and computer simulations will also be carried out to provide a scientific basis for optimizing the processing parameters.Through the proposed research we will develop the high-performance PIEC, which willpromote the application of precasting techniques and impact various aspects of construction industry, such as structure design, construction procedures, maintenance and repair techniques, and so on. It will be immensely beneficial to the economy due to the considerable reduction in the costs of materials, transportation, handling, placing, as well as the environment and energy conservation. The developed PIEC and testing devices will be used in a number of undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as a series of seminars, which will have significant impacts on the curriculum of the Department of Civil Engineering. Female students and under-represented minorities will be particularly encouraged to attend these seminars and courses. Both undergraduate and graduate students will be actively involved in this project and acquire comprehensive experiences. Exhibits of the results will be organized in local museums and libraries to enhance the exposure of engineering research to the public. This, together with the development of a web-based virtue museum of advanced cement-polymer composites, will be very helpful for high school students and freshmen to maintain interests in engineering fields in the early stage of their career path.