A calorimetry analysis of Portland cement pastes containing superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and nanosilica (NS)

ABSTRACT The application of calorimetry's technique by isothermal conduction allows the evaluation of the velocity of the hydration reactions in a simple and efficient way, over time, by the heat evolution's curves. This technique can be the right tool to evaluate the superabsorbent polymer's (SAP) desorption, which is a fundamental parameter that determines the polymer's efficiency as mitigating agent of autogenous shrinkage. With the use of calorimetry, it was possible to evaluate SAP's behavior during the fresh state and the influence of nanosilica (NS) in hydration kinetics of cement compounds. Regarding the pastes analyzed in this paper, it was observed a small retard in the main peak of C-S-H formation in the pastes containing SAP and an acceleration of the hydration’s reactions of the pastes containing NS. It was also noted that the heat released is proportional to the amount of NS and SAP, what can be related to the higher hydrate’s formation.