Fluid Transport Mechanisms in Portland Cement Mortar Modified with PVA and Nano Montmorillonite

The development of new materials for specific applications is an increasing field in the construction industry, so is the employment of nanotechnology for this goal. When poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is added to a Portland cement mortar, a film is formed in between the hydration products. This film has low elasticity modulus and high tensile strength and it enhances the mortar's mechanical properties in the fresh and hardened states. The addition of nano montmorillonites (MMT) gives the polymer a better compatibility with the cement matrix. In this work, the changes in the microstructure of Portland cement mortars modified with PVA and PVA with MMT are assessed by means of transport of fluids capacity as an indicator. The reference is a standard mortar according to EN 196-1.The parameters measured are: weight loss under drying and air permeability. Complementary measures, such as compressive and flexural strengths and drying shrinkage have also been performed.From the obtained results, it can be concluded that the inclusion PVA + MMT to Portland cement mortar doesn't affect the microstructure, when compared with Portland cement mortar with PVA, and even increase its tensile strength.