Hardening Properties of Epoxy-Modified Cement Composites without Hardener

Due to the major advantages of an epoxy-modified system suitable for constantly wet conditions, epoxy-modified cement composites are considered very competitive construction materials compared to latex-modified cement composites. Various performance factors of epoxy-modified cement composites, including strength, are strongly dependent on the hardening degree of epoxy resin, which affects the cost effectiveness of epoxy-modified cement composites. To meet the requirements and control the quality of epoxy-based construction products, the hardening degree of epoxy resin without hardener in cement composites needs to be analytically investigated. Thus, this study quantitatively characterized the hardening degree of epoxy resin with no hardener incorporated into the composites. In this study, the hardening degree and morphology of epoxy resin without hardener were characterized through various analytical approaches, including IR spectral analysis, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermo-gravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray diffraction analysis of powder, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). From the results of this study it was concluded that the hardening properties of epoxy resin in cement composites were efficiently characterized by the suggested analytical method, and the optimal polymer:cement ratio was found to be in the range from 10% to 20%.