Experimental study of the effect of addition of nano-silica on the behaviour of cement mortars

Abstract

The properties of cement mortars with nano-SiO2 were experimentally studied. The amorphous or glassy silica, which is the major component of a pozzolan, reacts with calcium hydroxide formed from calcium silicate hydration. The rate of the pozzolanic reaction is proportional to the amount of surface area available for reaction. Therefore, it is plausible to add nano-SiO2 particles in order to make highperformance concrete. In the aim to study the effects of the addition of nanoparticles on the behavior of pastes and cement mortars, nano-particles of silica amorphous were incorporated at a rate of 3 and 10% by weight of cement. The compressive strengths of different mortars increase with the increasing of the amount of nano-SiO 2. The influence of nano-SiO2 on consistency and setting time are different. Nano-SiO2 makes cement paste thicker and accelerates the cement hydration process. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.