Microstructural study of Styrene Polyacrylic (SPA) latex modified mortars

Abstract

In this paper, the influence of the styrene polyacrylic (SPA) latex polymer on the microstructural properties of limestone mortars has been studied. For this purpose, five mortars were developed with different dosages of the SPA latex (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%) by weight of cement. This research was carried out using XRD, FTIR, and SEM analyses. The results of XRD and FTIR studies showed that the addition of SPA latex can increase the portlandite content of polymer-modified mortars (PMMs), compared to the control mortar. In addition, the moist environment promotes the Ca(OH)2 consumption in PMMs at early age and accelerates the hydration. Moreover, the SEM analysis revealed that the cement hydrate structure of the reference mortar is loose. In contrast, the hydrates of the PMMs were covered by a polymer film or membrane, and the pore structure is significantly affected by the filling effect the micropores by the latex particles.

Keywords

• spa latex modified mortar
• microstructural properties
• xrd
• ftir
• sem