Effect of Molar Ratios and Curing Conditions on the Moisture Resistance of Magnesium Oxychloride Cement
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34, Issue 2
Abstract
Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) is a promising binder with many advantageous properties over traditional binders. Its main downfall, restricting large-scale use, is its inherent susceptibility to moisture. However, in recent years, niche applications have developed where MOC has been deployed successfully. These include lightweight wall panels, floor tiles, and decorative panels. This paper investigates the effect of molar ratios ( and ) and curing conditions on MOC. Findings illustrate that the use of appropriate molar ratios and the implementation of a suitable curing regime can significantly improve the moisture resistance of MOC. After 28 days of immersion in water, the MOC samples lost between 40% and 90% of their strength depending on the molar ratio, demonstrating the importance of correct proportioning. It was also found that curing MOC at temperatures between 20°C and 50°C provides the most stable MOC in humid conditions. These findings add to the current knowledge available on MOC. They will help end users to improve the performance of MOC in its current applications and work toward broadening the range of applications where MOC can be used successfully.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate the financial support received from Knowledge Transfer Partnership project (KTP11169) with Resistant Building Products, which is partly funded by Innovate UK (No. 511330) and Invest NI.
References
Aiken, T. A., D. McPolin, M. Russell, M. Madden, and L. Bagnall. 2021. “Physical and mechanical performance of magnesium-based construction boards: A comparative study.” Constr. Build. Mater. 270 (Feb): 121397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121397.
Aiken, T. A., M. Russell, D. McPolin, and L. Bagnall. 2020. “Magnesium oxychloride boards: Understanding a novel building material.” Mater. Struct. 53 (5): 118. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-020-01547-z.
Beaudoin, J. J., and V. S. Ramachandran. 1975. “Strength development in magnesium oxychloride and other cements.” Cem. Concr. Res. 5 (6): 617–630. https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-8846(75)90062-9.
Chau, C. K., J. Chan, and Z. Li. 2009. “Influences of fly ash on magnesium oxychloride mortar.” Cem. Concr. Compos. 31 (4): 250–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2009.02.011.
Chau, C. K., and Z. Li. 2008. “Microstructures of magnesium oxychloride.” Mater. Struct. 41 (5): 853–862. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-007-9289-y.
Chen, X., T. Zhang, W. Bi, and C. Cheeseman. 2019. “Effect of tartaric acid and phosphoric acid on the water resistance of magnesium oxychloride (MOC) cement.” Constr. Build. Mater. 213 (Jul): 528–536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.04.086.
Deng, D. 2003. “The mechanism for soluble phosphates to improve the water resistance of magnesium oxychloride cement.” Cem. Concr. Res. 33 (9): 1311–1317. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(03)00043-7.
Dinnebier, R. E., D. Freyer, S. Bette, and M. Oestreich. 2010. “, a high temperature phase of the magnesia binder system.” Inorg. Chem. 49 (21): 9770–9776. https://doi.org/10.1021/ic1004566.
Freyer, D. 2010. “Magnesia building material (Sorel cement)—From basics to application.” In Cementitious materials, edited by H. Pollmann, 311–331. Berlin: De Gruyter.
Guo, Y., Y. Zhang, K. Soe, and M. Pulham. 2018. “Recent development in magnesium oxychloride cement.” Struct. Concr. 19 (5): 1290–1300. https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.201800077.
Han, Y., X. Liu, and Y. Wu. 2015. “Influence of materials ratio on the hydration process of magnesium oxychloride cement.” Mater. Sci. Forum 817 (Apr): 180–184. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.817.180.
He, P., C. S. Poon, and D. C. W. Tsang. 2018. “Comparison of glass powder and pulverized fuel ash for improving the water resistance of magnesium oxychloride cement.” Cem. Concr. Compos. 86 (Feb): 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2017.11.010.
Kastiukas, G., X. Zhou, B. Neyazi, and K. T. Wan. 2019. “Sustainable calcination of magnesium hydroxide for magnesium oxychloride cement production.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 31 (7): 04019110. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002786.
Li, J., G. Li, and Y. Yu. 2008. “The influence of compound additive on magnesium oxychloride cement/urban refuse floor tile.” Constr. Build. Mater. 22 (4): 521–525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2006.11.010.
Li, Z., and C. K. Chau. 2007. “Influence of molar ratios on properties of magnesium oxychloride cement.” Cem. Concr. Res. 37 (6): 866–870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2007.03.015.
Li, Z., and C. K. Chau. 2008. “Reactivity and function of magnesium oxide in Sorel cement.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 20 (3): 239–244. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(2008)20:3(239).
Liu, Z., M. Balonis, J. Huang, A. Sha, and G. Sant. 2017. “The influence of composition and temperature on hydrated phase assemblages in magnesium oxychloride cements.” J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 100 (7): 3246–3261. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.14817.
Luo, X., W. Fan, C. Li, Y. Wang, H. Yang, X. Liu, and S. Yang. 2020. “Effect of hydroxyacetic acid on the water resistance of magnesium oxychloride cement.” Constr. Build. Mater. 246 (Jun): 118428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118428.
Macphee, D. E., and E. E. Lachowski. 2003. “Cement components and their phase relations.” In Lea’s chemistry of cement and concrete, edited by P. C. Hewlett, 95–129. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Misra, A. K., and R. Mathur. 2007. “Magnesium oxychloride cement concrete.” Bull. Mater. Sci. 30 (3): 239–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-007-0043-4.
Mitina, N. A., I. B. Revva, A. A. Ditts, and D. Simonov. 2016. “Waterproof magnesia binder for composite materials.” Key Eng. Mater. 712 (Sep): 182–187. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.712.182.
Montle, J. F., and K. G. Mayhan. 1974. “The role of magnesium oxychloride as a fire-resistive material.” Fire Technol. 10 (3): 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02588845.
Power, I. M., G. M. Dipple, and P. S. Francis. 2017. “Assessing the carbon sequestration potential of magnesium oxychloride cement building materials.” Cem. Concr. Compos. 78 (Apr): 97–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2017.01.003.
Ruan, S., and C. Unluer. 2016. “Comparative life cycle assessment of reactive MgO and Portland cement production.” J. Cleaner Prod. 137 (Nov): 258–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.07.071.
Sglavo, V. M., F. De Genua, A. Conci, R. Ceccato, and R. Cavallini. 2011. “Influence of curing temperature on the evolution of magnesium oxychloride cement.” J. Mater. Sci. 46 (20): 6726–6733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-011-5628-z.
Sorel, S. 1867. “On a new magnesium cement.” C.R. Acad. Sci. 65: 102–104.
Sugimoto, K., R. E. Dinnebier, and T. Schlecht. 2007. “Structure determination of (F5 phase) from laboratory powder diffraction data and its impact on the analysis of problematic magnesia floors.” Acta Crystallogr., Sect. B: Struct. Sci. 63 (6): 805–811. https://doi.org/10.1107/S0108768107046654.
Walling, S. A., and J. L. Provis. 2016. “Magnesia-based cements: A journey of 150 years, and cements for the future?” Chem. Rev. 116 (7): 4170–4204. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00463.
Wang, Y., L. Wei, J. Yu, and K. Yu. 2019. “Mechanical properties of high ductile magnesium oxychloride cement-based composites after water soaking.” Cem. Concr. Compos. 97 (Mar): 248–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2018.12.028.
Wei, L., Y. Wang, J. Yu, J. Xiao, and S. Xu. 2018. “Feasibility study of strain hardening magnesium oxychloride cement-based composites.” Constr. Build. Mater. 165 (Mar): 750–760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.01.041.
Wøhler Nielsen, S., C. Rode, T. Bunch-Nielsen, K. Kielsgaard Hansen, W. Kunther, and B. Grelk. 2019. “Properties of magnesium oxide boards used as sheathing in exterior walls.” In Vol. 282 of Proc., MATEC Web of Conf., 02091. Les Ulis, France: EDP Sciences.
Wu, J., H. Chen, B. Guan, Y. Xia, Y. Sheng, and J. Fang. 2019. “Effect of fly ash on rheological properties of magnesium oxychloride cement.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 31 (3): 04018405. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002597.
Xu, B., H. Ma, C. Hu, S. Yang, and Z. Li. 2016. “Influence of curing regimes on mechanical properties of magnesium oxychloride cement-based composites.” Constr. Build. Mater. 102 (Jan): 613–619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.10.205.
Xu, K., J. Xi, Y. Guo, and S. Dong. 2012. “Effects of a new modifier on the water-resistance of magnesite cement tiles.” Solid State Sci. 14 (1): 10–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2011.08.009.
Ye, Q., W. Wang, W. Zhang, J. Li, and H. Chen. 2018. “Tuning the phase structure and mechanical performance of magnesium oxychloride cements by curing temperature and ratio.” Constr. Build. Mater. 179 (Aug): 413–419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.05.257.
Zhou, X., and Z. Li. 2012. “Light-weight wood–magnesium oxychloride cement composite building products made by extrusion.” Constr. Build. Mater. 27 (1): 382–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.07.033.
Zhou, Z., H. Chen, Z. Li, and H. Li. 2015. “Simulation of the properties of system by thermodynamic method.” Cem. Concr. Res. 68 (Feb): 105–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2014.11.006.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34 • Issue 2 • February 2022
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 26, 2021
Accepted: Jun 8, 2021
Published online: Nov 19, 2021
Published in print: Feb 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Apr 19, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Weimin Yu, Hongfa Yu, Haiyan Ma, Tianyang Shi, Jing Wen, Haoxia Ma, Durability of Magnesium Oxychloride Cement in Application: Phase Composition Transition and Microstructure Characteristics, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 10.1061/JMCEE7.MTENG-16643, 36, 1, (2024).
- Ali Shalbafan, Heiko Thoemen, Development of Mineral-Bonded Plywood with Magnesium Oxychloride as a Binder Using the Hot-Pressing Process, Polymers, 10.3390/polym15040805, 15, 4, (805), (2023).
- Dorin Maier, A Review of the Environmental Benefits of Using Wood Waste and Magnesium Oxychloride Cement as a Composite Building Material, Materials, 10.3390/ma16051944, 16, 5, (1944), (2023).
- Andreea Maier, Daniela Lucia Manea, Perspective of Using Magnesium Oxychloride Cement (MOC) and Wood as a Composite Building Material: A Bibliometric Literature Review, Materials, 10.3390/ma15051772, 15, 5, (1772), (2022).
- Haoyu Wang, Jinbao Zhang, Xiaohui Yan, Rui Xiong, Study on Properties of Magnesium Oxychloride Cement Solidified Soil, Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 10.1155/2022/5195450, 2022, (1-11), (2022).
- Wenguang Zhou, Qianqian Ye, Jinfeng Cao, Sheldon Q. Shi, Jianzhang Li, Performance improvement of magnesium oxychloride cement via nanoparticles-enhanced organic–inorganic hybrid network, Construction and Building Materials, 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.128096, 343, (128096), (2022).
- Timothy A. Aiken, Jacek Kwasny, Mark Russell, Daniel McPolin, Leo Bagnall, Effect of partial MgO replacement on the properties of magnesium oxychloride cement, Cement and Concrete Composites, 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2022.104791, 134, (104791), (2022).
- Abel Adeize Barnabas, Oluwatosin Abiodun Balogun, Abayomi Adewale Akinwande, John Friday Ogbodo, Akeem Oladele Ademati, Enesi Isaac Dongo, Valentin Romanovski, Reuse of walnut shell waste in the development of fired ceramic bricks, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 10.1007/s11356-022-22955-4, 30, 5, (11823-11837), (2022).