Production of a high-strength gypsum/polymer composite material.

摘要

Previous attempts to, enhance the physical properties of gypsum products by varying the water:powder ratio have yielded only moderate improvements in strength. Recently, composite theories have been applied to improve the toughness of gypsum products by infiltrating polymers (e.g. acrylics) into the porous material. Despite moderate property improvements, the excess water that is initially required for suitable manipulation and replication of gypsum results in porous products of poor toughness.;Composite gypsum products were prepared by mixing 100 g plaster with a 50 ml mixture of distilled water soluble monomer solution containing 2-hydroxyethylacrylate, bis-DMA (15 mole%) and benzoyl peroxide (2 wt.%). Composite products of varied polymer concentrations were prepared using controlled water:monomer solution ratios (20-60 vol.%). The mechanical properties of the products (;The objective of this study was to improve the physical properties of gypsum by replacing the excess water with a water/soluble monomer. The monomer solution providers the viscosity required for manipulation and detail replication. In addition, the solution is catalytically polymerized during the stone setting process to simultaneously result in a denser, gypsum polymer composite of superior mechanical properties.