The low water-to-binder ratio commonly used for high-performance cementitious materials is known to limit the degree of hydration of their cement particles. This issue often cannot be resolved with conventional external curing methods, primarily because of the low permeability of such materials. Thus, internal curing methods are devised to improve the degree of hydration and maximize the use of cement particles. Focusing on superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) as one of the main internal curing agents, this study investigates the effects of various types, sizes, and dosages of SAPs on the hydration kinetics of high-performance cementitious mixtures. For this purpose, the main performance characteristics of SAPs were characterized first. Paired with monitoring the temperature development patterns in a set of SAP-contained mixtures, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) investigations were systematically performed to measure the phase consumption of cement particles. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image analyses were then employed to assess the materials deposited in the remaining SAP voids. By providing original insights into the hydration development process, this study’s outcome guides the use of SAPs with the ultimate goal of maximizing the hydration degree of cement particles, paving the way to minimizing the carbon footprint of high-performance cementitious materials.

中文翻译：

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高吸水性聚合物的类型、尺寸和用量对高性能胶凝材料水化发展的影响研究

众所周知，高性能水泥材料通常使用的低水胶比会限制其水泥颗粒的水合程度。这个问题通常无法通过传统的外部固化方法解决，主要是因为此类材料的渗透性较低。因此，设计了内部养护方法来提高水化程度并最大限度地利用水泥颗粒。本研究重点关注高吸水性聚合物（SAP）作为主要内部固化剂之一，研究了 SAP 的不同类型、尺寸和用量对高性能水泥基混合物水化动力学的影响。为此，首先对 SAP 的主要性能特征进行了表征。结合监测一组含有 SAP 的混合物的温度发展模式，系统地进行了热重分析 (TGA) 和 X 射线衍射 (XRD) 研究，以测量水泥颗粒的相消耗。然后使用扫描电子显微镜 (SEM) 图像分析来评估沉积在剩余 SAP 空隙中的材料。通过提供对水化发展过程的独到见解，本研究的结果指导 SAP 的使用，最终目标是最大限度地提高水泥颗粒的水化程度，为最大限度地减少高性能水泥材料的碳足迹铺平道路。