Microstructure examination and strength characteristics of effective microbed cement

摘要

Effective Microorganism (EM) in cement based material has shown huge potential as new additive. However, the effect of EM to the internal of the microstructure of the cement matrix due to the inclusion of EM still needs to be extensively evaluated. In this present study, six (6) different dilutions percentages of EM Mixed Solution (EMMS) were added in the cement paste namely were 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% of the total mixing water including no addition of EMMS as a control specimen. The result showed that the addition of EMMS in cement paste contribute to high increment up to hundred twenty (120) percent of compressive strength respect to control at the age of 28 days. The microstructure examination had been performed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and chemical compound composition using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) on cement paste containing 25% of EM dilution in the total mixing water. SEM micrograph examined that the microbed cement paste was less voids and denser compared to control paste without EM. While, XRD analysis showed the amount of Ca(OH)2, CaCO3 and SiO2 was affected by the EMMS contents in microbed cement.