Non-hydration strength in cementitious compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12441658-B2
Application number	US-201917270565-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2019
Priority date	Aug 29, 2018
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

Described are compositions and methods for controlled strength development in a hydratable cementitious material, and more particularly to the use of polymerizable monomer components, which are initiated and activated by a redox pair which are mixed in controlled fashion, for enhancing non-hydration strength within the matrix of the plastic hydratable cementitious material before setting of the cementitious material begins. Exemplary applications include minimizing pressures on formwork for high fluid ready-mix applications, enhancing support and bonding properties for integrated concrete slab work and other sequential applications, or facilitating speedy 3D printing applications, among other unique possibilities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for achieving non-hydration strength in a cementitious composition, comprising:
(A) providing a settable composition comprising a hydratable cementitious binder, a plurality of aggregates, and water in an amount effective to establish a hydrating cementitious matrix;
(B) providing a polymerizable component system comprising (i) an ethylenic monomer having at least one hydrophilic group, (ii) at least one cross-linker monomer;
and (iii) a first component of a two-component reduction-oxidation (“redox”) system, to establish a cross-linking system within the hydrating cementitious matrix;
(C) mixing together the settable composition, the polymerizable component system, and a second component of the redox system such that the first and second components of the redox system become mixed together to activate cross-linking of the polymerizable component system within the hydrating cementitious matrix of the settable composition; and
(D) flowing the mixture from step (C) through a nozzle, into a concrete formwork or mold, or along a chute and into a concrete formwork or mold, whereby the polymerizable component system undergoes polymerization within the hydrating settable cementitious matrix, wherein
the mixing of the settable composition of step (A) and the polymerizable component system of step (B) is accomplished using a batch mixer or continuous mixer, and the second component of the redox system of step (C) is introduced into the settable composition after the mixing of the settable composition with the polymerizable component system, the method increases the non-hydration strength before setting of the cementitious composition begins; and
the ethylenic monomer having at least one hydrophilic group is 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (“AMPS”) monomer, and the cross-linker monomer is N,N′-methylene bis(acrylamide) (“bis-AAm”), and the weight ratio of AMPS:bis-AAm is from 5:95 to 99.9:0.1.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydratable cementitious binder comprises ordinary Portland cement, and optionally at least one supplemental cementitious material chosen from calcium carbonate, fly ash, slag, silica fume, calcined clay, metakaolin, limestone, and mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the concrete is flowed into formwork or mold chosen from flooring slab, vertical column, wall, or a concrete masonry unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the nozzle is a shotcrete nozzle for spray application of shotcrete against a substrate, a nozzle at the end of a hose for pumping concrete from a pump mixer to an application point on a construction site, or a nozzle controlled by a processor for printing sequential add-on layers in a three-dimensional structure made of the settable composition.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the provided ethylenic monomer having at least one hydrophilic group has a structural formula chosen from
(i) CH 2 ═CR—CO—NR 1 R 2 ;
(ii) CH 2 ═CR—CO—OR 3 ;
(iii) CH 2 ═CR—O—R 4 ;
(iv) CH 2 ═CR—R 5 —O—R 4 , or mixture thereof; and
the provided cross-linker monomer having a structural formula Y′—X′—Y″ wherein X′ represents methylene, ethylene, poly(ethylene glycol) or ethoxylated bisphenol A, and each of Y′ and Y″ are independently represented by a structural formula chosen from
(i) —CH═CR—CO—NR 1 R 2 ;
(ii) —CH═CR—CO—OR 3 ;
(iii) —CH═CR—O—R 4 ;
(iv) —CH═CR—R 5 —O—R 4 , or mixture thereof;
wherein R represents hydrogen or a C 1 -C 4 alkyl or alkenyl group; R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 each independently represent hydrogen or a C 1 -C 4 alkyl, alkenyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkylsulfonate, alkylphosphonate, alkylphosphate, or carboxyalkyl group; R 4 represents a C 1 -C 4 alkyl, alkenyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkylsulfonate, alkylphosphonate, alkylphosphate, or carboxyalkyl group; and R 5 represents a C 1 -C 4 alkane or alkene group.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the redox pair comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a persulfate, hydrogen peroxide, t-butyl peroxide, p-menthol peroxide, iron (III), cobalt (III), copper (II), bisulfite, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylene diamine, bis[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)-ethyl]ether sodium formaldehyde sulfoxilate, ascorbic acid, and sucrose or other sugars.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein, in step B, the settable composition is mixed in the rotatable mixer drum of a concrete delivery truck; and wherein, in step D, the settable composition is pumped through a hose or flowed along a chute into a placement point comprising a wooden form for a building wall or floor, a concrete slab or floor, bridge deck, rebar concrete structure, a structural column, or concrete paver unit.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein, in step D, the settable composition is pumped through a hose.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising introducing a set accelerator, a set retarder, or both into the settable composition.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding at least one further chemical admixture to the settable composition.

11. A method for achieving non-hydration strength in a cementitious composition, the method comprising the steps of:
(A) providing a settable composition comprising a hydratable cementitious binder, a plurality of aggregates, and water in an amount effective to establish a hydrating cementitious matrix;
(B) providing a polymerizable component system comprising (i) an ethylenic monomer having at least one hydrophilic group, (ii) at least one cross-linker monomer; and (iii) a first component of a two-component reduction-oxidation (“redox”) system, to establish a cross-linking system within the hydrating cementitious matrix;
(C) mixing together the settable composition, polymerizable component system, and a second component of the redox system, such that the first and second components of the redox system become mixed together to activate cross-linking of the polymerizable component system within the hydrating cementitious matrix of the settable composition; and
(D) flowing the mixture from step (C) through a hose and a nozzle whose position and movement, along with emission through the nozzle of the mixed settable composition and polymerizable component system are controlled by a processor, whereby
the polymerizable component system undergoes polymerization within the hydrating settable cementitious matrix;
extruding through the nozzle a first layer comprising the settable composition and component system undergoing polymerization; and
extruding through the nozzle a second layer of settable composition and component system undergoing polymerization onto the first layer to build a three-dimensional structure, wherein the method increases the non-hydration strength before setting of the cementitious composition begins.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the cementitious composition is used as building material in a 3D printing operation.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the cementitious composition is used as building material in concrete requiring finishing.

14. A method for achieving non-hydration strength in a cementitious composition, comprising:
(A) providing a settable composition comprising a hydratable cementitious binder, a plurality of aggregates, and water in an amount effective to establish a hydrating cementitious matrix;
(B) providing a polymerizable component system comprising (i) an ethylenic monomer having at least one hydrophilic group, (ii) at least one cross-linker monomer; and (iii) a first component of a two-component reduction-oxidation (“redox”) system, to establish a cross-linking system within the hydrating cementitious matrix;
(C) mixing together the settable composition, the polym

Assignees

• Gcp Applied Tech Inc

Inventors

• Chung Byong-Wa
• Tregger Nathan A
• Berodier Elise
• Burns Elizabeth
• Rocha Ernie
• Wilson Ezgi
• Roberts Mark F

Classifications

• C04B2111/00155

  Sprayable, i.e. concrete-like, materials able to be shaped by spraying instead of by casting, e.g. gunite · CPC title

• C04B2103/0096

  Reducing agents · CPC title

• C04B2103/0095

  Oxidising agents · CPC title

• C04B2103/0062

  Cross-linked polymers · CPC title

• C04B40/0028

  Aspects relating to the mixing step of the mortar preparation · CPC title