Effect of aerogel/silica fume under curing methods on properties of cement-based mortars

In this study, the mechanical, thermal and porosity properties of mortar samples containing aerogel and silica fume under different curing conditions were investigated. For this purpose, 0%, 0.25% and 0.50% by weight of silica aerogel as a cement additive and 10% silica fume as an industrial waste material were incorporated in the cement mixtures. The prepared mortar samples were exposed to curing process in water, the wetting-drying effect and MgSO4 effect for 16 weeks. The highest thermal conductivity reduction of 31.2% was obtained from the water curing sample with silica fume addition at an aerogel content of 0.25%. Maximum compressive and flexural strengths were determined respectively from samples with silica fume addition at an aerogel content 0.50% as 74.5 MPa and no aerogel content as 11.3 MPa by wetting-drying curing. However, the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient was measured as 1.458 W/mK from the sample at an 0.25% aerogel content containing silica fume which completed the curing process under the influence of MgSO4 with a highest compressive strength increase by 24.6%.