Studying the bulk hydrophobization of cement mortars by the combination of alkylalkoxysilane admixture and fluoropolymer-functionalized aggregate

Abstract

In this work, hydrophobic mortars are produced by combining a silane-based admixture with the pre-treatment of the aggregates with an alkoxysilane-ended fluoropolymer. A comparative study is presented to determine the effect of the components, under different curing conditions, on the hydrophobicity, mechanical performance, composition and micro-structure. The combination of both strategies allows obtaining hydrophobic properties at different curing conditions, whereas the silane loses effectiveness at high humidity and the modified aggregate at low humidity. The silane hinders cement hydration and promotes gaps in the aggregate-matrix interfacial transition zone, decreasing mechanical resistance, whereas the modified aggregate changes the interfacial transition zone morphology without significant effects on resistance. The combination of both strategies partially compensates the negative impact of the silane admixture, especially when the mortars are cured at high humidity. Thus, this combination increases versatility of the mortars and poses as a potential route to address the limitations of silane admixtures. © 2022 The Authors