Physico-mechanical properties of lime-silica fume pastes modified with nano-metakaolin

Khalifa Al-Jabri, Hamada Shoukry*, Ahmed Abdel Aal

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The improvement in the physico-mechanical properties of lime-silica fume (SF) pastes through the incorporation of nano-metakaolin (NMK) was investigated. Lime-SF paste (1 : 1 by weight) was prepared as a reference binder. To examine the influence of NMK on strength development, SF was replaced with 2-10 wt% NMK. The compressive strength, capillary water absorption and pore structure of the designed mixes were determined after 3, 7 and 28 d of curing. X-ray diffraction analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were used to study the phase composition and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for microstructural investigations. The lime-SF binder modified with 6% NMK exhibited the best mechanical performance. Pore structure analysis confirmed that NMK provided significant refinement in the pore structure of the blended pastes and SEM micrographs revealed noticeable microstructural improvements. The capillary water absorption coefficient decreased considerably with an increase in NMK content up to 6% compared with the reference mixture. Use of the developed lime-SF-NMK paste is recommended as a promising innovative binder for specific cement applications such as plastering and renovation of buildings.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)627-634
Number of pages8
JournalProceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Structures and Buildings
Volume173
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 1 2020

Keywords

  • Composite structures
  • Recycling & reuse of materials

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Building and Construction

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