Synthesis of calcium silicate hydrate/polymer complexes: Part I. Anionic and nonionic polymers

High molecular weight anionic polymers have been incorporated into the calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) structure during precipitation of quasicrystalline C–S–H from aqueous solution. The anionic polymers studied were poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), and the sodium salt of poly(vinyl sulfonic acid). Expansion of the interlayer spacing coupled with high-carbon contents confirmed that the polymers intercalated between the layers. D-gluconic acid behaves similarly. Intercalation characteristics strongly depended on both the type of polymer and Ca/Si molar ratio of C–S–H; intercalation reached a maximum at an initial Ca/Si = 1.3 in all cases. Poly(vinyl alcohol) was the only nonionic polymer among those studied that was incorporated into C–S–H. Evidence for interlayer intercalation is less definite. The C–S–H/polymer complexes were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance magic angle spinning, and ¹³C cross-polarization, magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.