Recently, modern techniques have been applied for analysis of the influence of polymers on microstructural properties of Portland cement, such as Thermogravimetric Analyses (TG), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP). In this study, thermogravimetric analyses were used to study the influence of vinyl acetate-versatic vinylester copolymer (VA/VeoVA) in seven pastes of 28-day old Portland cement, in which distinct polymer contents and water/cement ratios were employed. In addition, analyses of FT-IR and MIP on Portland cement pastes modified by the copolymer were employed. The results showed that the addition of polymer interferes significantly in the reduction of Portlandite formation and increases the porosity of the matrices. A possible chemical interaction between the copolymer and hydrated products of Portland cement was also observed.
Cement paste; modified mortars; VA/VeoVA copolymer
