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Characterization of superabsorbent poly(sodium-acrylate acrylamide) hydrogels and influence of chemical structure on internally cured mortar

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Abstract

Internal curing of mortar through superabsorbent polymer hydrogels is explored as a solution to self-desiccation. Four different hydrogels of poly(sodium-acrylate acrylamide) are synthesized and the impact of chemical composition on mortar is assessed with relative humidity and autogenous shrinkage testing. The hydrogels are characterized with swelling tests in different salt solutions and compression tests. Chemical composition affected both swelling kinetics and gel network size. Mortar containing these hydrogels had increased relative humidity and markedly reduced autogenous shrinkage. Additionally, the chemical structure of the hydrogels was found to significantly impact the mortar’s shrinkage. Hydrogels that quickly released most of their absorbed fluid were able to better reduce autogenous shrinkage compared to hydrogels that retained fluid for longer periods (>4 h), although this performance was highly sensitive to total water content. The release of absorbed water in hydrogels is most likely a function of both Laplace pressure of emptying voids and chemically-linked osmotic pressure developing from an ion concentration gradient between the hydrogels and cement pore solution. If the osmotic pressure is strong enough, the hydrogels can disperse most of the absorbed water before the depercolation of capillary porosity occurs, allowing the water to permeate the bulk of the mortar microstructure and most effectively reduce self-desiccation and autogenous shrinkage.

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Acknowledgments

Acknowledgement is made to the donors of The American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund #54886-DNI10 for support of this research. The authors thank Natalie Burgos for collecting the compression test data and investigating the validity of hydrogel isotropy during swelling, and Matthew Parsons for collection of hydrogel swelling data. Additionally, the authors extend sincere thanks for the use of the Pankow Materials Laboratory and facilities in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University, as well as help from Professor Jason Weiss, Dr. Yaghoob Farnam, Dr. Albert Miller, and Cameron Wilson.

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  1. School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Matthew J. Krafcik & Kendra A. Erk

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  1. Matthew J. Krafcik
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  2. Kendra A. Erk
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Correspondence to Matthew J. Krafcik.

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Krafcik, M.J., Erk, K.A. Characterization of superabsorbent poly(sodium-acrylate acrylamide) hydrogels and influence of chemical structure on internally cured mortar. Mater Struct 49, 4765–4778 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-016-0823-7

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