TY - JOUR
T1 - Predesigning matrix-directed super-hydrophobization and hierarchical strengthening of cement foam
AU - She, Wei
AU - Zheng, Zhihao
AU - Zhang, Qunchao
AU - Zuo, Wenqiang
AU - Yang, Jingxian
AU - Zhang, Yunsheng
AU - Zheng, Li
AU - Hong, Jinxiang
AU - Miao, Changwen
N1 - Funding Information:
Authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 51890904 ) and National Key Research and Development Program of China ( 2017YFB0309904 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2020/5
Y1 - 2020/5
N2 - The thermodynamically unstable nature of aqueous foam is a challenging problem for fabrication of ultra-lightweight foamed cement-based materials. Such materials are also facing many durability problems due to their hydrophilic property and porous microstructure. In this study, a matrix superhydrophobic cement foam with high specific strength was developed by a one-step process. The rational tomographic and chemical properties of the border-air interfaces of cement foam were simultaneously modified by a nanohybrid method, in which the nano silica was grafted with water repellent functional group, promoting the adsorption of nano silica onto the air-liquid interfaces. The joint effect of increased multi-scale roughness and hydrophilization of the interfaces produced bulk superhydrophobic cement foam, which revealed excellent mechanical robustness even upon major surface damage. Such foamed cement is of great importance for industrial thermal insulation applications, and potentially provide a solution to the long-standing durability problems of cement based porous materials.
AB - The thermodynamically unstable nature of aqueous foam is a challenging problem for fabrication of ultra-lightweight foamed cement-based materials. Such materials are also facing many durability problems due to their hydrophilic property and porous microstructure. In this study, a matrix superhydrophobic cement foam with high specific strength was developed by a one-step process. The rational tomographic and chemical properties of the border-air interfaces of cement foam were simultaneously modified by a nanohybrid method, in which the nano silica was grafted with water repellent functional group, promoting the adsorption of nano silica onto the air-liquid interfaces. The joint effect of increased multi-scale roughness and hydrophilization of the interfaces produced bulk superhydrophobic cement foam, which revealed excellent mechanical robustness even upon major surface damage. Such foamed cement is of great importance for industrial thermal insulation applications, and potentially provide a solution to the long-standing durability problems of cement based porous materials.
KW - Foamed cement
KW - Hierarchical structure
KW - Interfacial modification
KW - Nanohybrid
KW - Robust superhydrophobic
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85080982803&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cemconres.2020.106029
DO - 10.1016/j.cemconres.2020.106029
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85080982803
SN - 0008-8846
VL - 131
JO - Cement and Concrete Research
JF - Cement and Concrete Research
M1 - 106029
ER -