Hybrid Reinforcement of Sisal and Polypropylene Fibers in Cement-Based Composites
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 23, Issue 2
Abstract
Several studies using vegetable fibers as the exclusive reinforcement in fiber-cement composites have shown acceptable mechanical performance at the first ages. However, after the exposure to accelerated aging tests, these composites have shown significant reduction in the toughness or increase in embrittlement. This was mainly attributed to the improved fiber-matrix adhesion and fiber mineralization after aging process. The objective of the present research was to evaluate composites produced by the slurry dewatering technique followed by pressing and air curing, reinforced with combinations of polypropylene fibers and sisal kraft pulp at different pulp freeness. The physical properties, mechanical performance, and microstructural characteristics of the composites were evaluated before and after accelerated and natural aging. Results showed the great contribution of pulp refinement on the improvement of the mechanical strength in the composites. Higher intensities of refinement resulted in higher modulus of rupture for the composites with hybrid reinforcement after accelerated and natural aging. The more compact microstructure was due to the improved packing of the mineral particles with refined sisal pulp. The toughness of the composites after aging was maintained in relation to the composites at 28 days of cure.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support for this research project was provided by Programa Habitare-Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (Finep), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes), and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Fapesp), Brazil. The writers were supported by grants offered by CNPq, Capes, and Fapesp, Brazil. Sisal kraft pulp was provided by Lwarcel Celulose e Papel Ltda. and PP fibers and cementitious raw materials were kindly furnished by Infibra Ltda. The writers would also like to thank Dr. Marie-Ange Arsène from Université des Antilles et de la Guyane for helping with SEM studies.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 23 • Issue 2 • February 2011
Pages: 177 - 187
Copyright
© 2011 ASCE.
History
Received: Dec 10, 2008
Accepted: Jul 16, 2010
Published online: Jul 19, 2010
Published in print: Feb 2011
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