The Influence of Crystallization Additives on the Porosity of Polypropylene Fibre-reinforced Cement Mortar

摘要

The phenomenon of self-healing cement materials has been described in the professional literature for decades. One self-healing mechanism is based on the presence of crystallization additives in concrete or mortar; when a defect appears in the material, the crystallization additives (CA) are activated, and new crystallization products will fill the pore or crack. The activation of the crystallization additives occurs only under certain conditions. The intensity of crystallization is affected by the nature of the environment within the crack or pores, and in order for the crystallization to occur, the cracks or pores must contain an aqueous solution with sufficient ion content to react with the crystallization additive. This paper discusses the possibility of using crystallization additives to reduce the porosity of cement mortar reinforced with polypropylene (PP) fibres, describes the effect of crystallization additives on the pore structure of cement mortar, and evaluates the influence of the medium on pore size distribution in cement mortar.