Self-healing Concrete Using Microcapsules Containing Mineral Salts

Abstract

Propagating micro-cracks in a structure decreases its load-bearing capacity and leads to the collapse of the entire structure. Addition of various additives in all kinds of concrete or concrete ingredients, as several studies have shown, could significantly make concrete reclaim from the specifications and attributes point of view. A possible manner to the common ruin and expensive preservation of concrete infrastructure, utilizing encapsulating healing factors is helpful for the self-healing of concrete. The selfhealing concrete with microencapsulated Preyssler, and calcium nitrate was studied in this paper. Microcapsules were synthesized by in-situ polymerization of urea-formaldehyde as a shell around the core materials inclusive of Preyssler, calcium nitrate. Physicochemical characterization of microcapsules was conducted by Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscope. The mechanical assessment of cementitious specimens with different dosages of microcapsules (0%,0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%) was performed by compressive tests. Also, by measurement before and after damage after 10 days, the self-healing potential was tested. After the concrete was damaged by exerting 30% of its final load, all samples were incubated by immersion in water. According to the results, the sample containing 0.5% UFN, the sample containing 1.5% UFP, and the sample containing 1.5% UFNP have higher repair rates than others. This scope of research because of its interdisciplinary nature would own several possibilities to be pioneering with making an opening gate to link sciences and engineering such as material, chemistry, science, nanotechnology, and the field of engineering to persuade a wide spectrum of contribution in engineering sciences and usages.