Fine aggregate substitution with acidified granular activated carbon influences fresh-state and mechanical properties of ordinary Portland cement mortars

Ismael Justo-Reinoso, Alejandro Caicedo-Ramirez, Wil V. Srubar, Mark T. Hernandez

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

The compressive strength and selected fresh-state responses to incorporating acid-modified granular activated carbon (GAC) in cement mortars, were compared to physical cement behaviors associated with the incorporation of otherwise unmodified GAC and a commercial polycarboxylate superplasticizer. Specific surface area of unmodified and acidified GAC, porosity, pH at charge neutrality (pH PZC ), and surface-associated functional groups were compared. Fresh- and hardened-state responses were observed, including slump, setting time, zeta potential, and compressive strength. Results suggest that substituting 1% of the fine aggregate mass with GAC particles that had been pre-treated in nitric acid, can improve compressive strength and workability of cement mortar.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)59-69
Number of pages11
JournalConstruction and Building Materials
Volume207
Early online date23 Feb 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 May 2019

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge to Dr. Jennifer Underwood and Dr. Tyler Kane (USGS-Boulder), Catherine Lucero, P.E. (USBR-Denver) and, CIDI-UAG (Centro de Investigación para el Desarrollo Industrial) belonging to the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG) (México) for their support during the experiments of this study. This research was supported by the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology ( CONACYT ) (Fellowship No. 103259 ) and by the Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado-Boulder through a Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship.

Keywords

  • Acidified activated carbon
  • Cement mortar
  • FTIR
  • Polycarboxylate-ether
  • Superplasticizer
  • Workability
  • Zeta potential

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Building and Construction
  • General Materials Science

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