Utilization of Poly(Polyvinyl Alcohol-g-2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate) as Admixture for Mortar

Abstract

We investigated the physico-mechanical properties of mortar mixed with copolymers based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) and synthesized by grafting using ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator. Increasing the amount of 2-EHA in the copolymer from 4% to 8% reduced the water/cement (W/C) ratio, the initial and final setting times, and the water absorption of mortar, while it increased its compressive strength.

Keywords

• admixture
• cement
• copolymer
• mortar
• pva
• workability