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

几十年来，先进的水泥聚合物复合材料一直是一个活跃的研究领域。通过在水泥中添加聚合物材料，无机颗粒可以通过聚合物基体牢固地结合在一起，从而使通常是水泥最薄弱的方面的拉伸强度提高一个数量级。基于最近在聚合物硅酸盐纳米复合材料研究中开发的插层和剥离技术，现在可以使用高耐热/耐湿性和成本效益的聚合物来增强水泥，并保持与普通预制混凝土节段相似的加工条件。初步研究显示出令人鼓舞的结果。聚合物链在无机颗粒夹层之间的插入可以在温和的条件下实现，并伴随着硅酸盐纳米层的剥落。 PIEC 将比 MDF 水泥更坚固，并且至少与普通水泥一样耐用，并提供出色的性价比平衡。还将进行材料表征和计算机模拟，为优化加工参数提供科学依据。通过拟议的研究，我们将开发高性能的PIEC，这将促进预制技术的应用，并影响建筑行业的各个方面，如结构设计、施工程序、维护和修复技术等。由于材料、运输、搬运、放置成本的大幅降低以及环境和能源的节约，这将对经济产生巨大的好处。所开发的PIEC及测试装置将用于多项本科生和研究生课程以及一系列研讨会，将对土木工程系的课程设置产生重大影响。我们将特别鼓励女学生和代表性不足的少数群体参加这些研讨会和课程。本科生和研究生都将积极参与该项目并获得全面的经验。成果展览将在当地博物馆和图书馆举办，以提高公众对工程研究的了解。这与基于网络的先进水泥聚合物复合材料美德博物馆的开发一起，将非常有助于高中生和新生在职业道路的早期保持对工程领域的兴趣。

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.