Influence of Polypropylene, Carbon and Hybrid Coated Fiber on the Interfacial Microstructure Development of Cementitious Composites
Date
2021
Authors
Monazami, Maryam
Gupta, Rishi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
fibers
Abstract
Concrete is the most used construction material in the world; however, its deficiency in
shrinkage and low tensile resistance is undeniable. Used as secondary reinforcement, fibers can
modify concrete properties in various ways. Carbon-fiber-reinforced concrete is highly suitable to
maintain longevity of infrastructure where corrosion of steel can shorten the useful service life of the
structure while polypropylene fibers can mostly improve the shrinkage of concrete. However, the
biggest challenge with fiber-reinforced concrete is the appearance of the poorly structured interfacial
transition zone around the fibers. In this study, environmentally friendly and low-cost attempts
were made to coat fibers with fly ash to enhance the structure of mortar around the fibers. Coated
carbon and polypropylene fibers were used in mortar in single and hybrid forms to investigate the
efficiency of fiber coating methods on mechanical and durability properties of fiber-reinforced cement
mortar. A minimal dosage of 0.25% and 0.5% (by volume) PAN-based carbon fiber and polypropylene
fiber was added to mortar to make low-cost mixes. Compressive, tensile and three-point bending
tests were done after 14 and 28 days of curing, and the results were analyzed. The results showed
higher compressive strength in coated fiber-reinforced samples and comparable results in tensile
strength, flexural strength, and toughness parameters. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) photos
and Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis approved the efficacy of the coating methods.
Description
The authors acknowledge the financial support received from Alberta Innovates.
The technical advice offered by Axel Meisen and Paolo Bomben is greatly acknowledged. Contribution
of Mitsubishi chemical and Euclid Chemical for the donation of the fibers used in this study and
the support received from Boyu Wang and Rishabh Bajaj is also acknowledged.
Keywords
PAN-based carbon fibers, polypropylene fiber, mechanical properties, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
Citation
Monazami, M., & Gupta, R. (2021). Influence of polypropylene, carbon and hybrid coated fiber on the interfacial microstructure development of cementitious composites. fibers, 9(65), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/fib9110065