Durability Enhancement of Cement Mortar by Using Electro Kinetic Principles

S. Antony Sujina, R. Selvaraj, B. Deepa

Abstract: Applying electrokinetic principles for enhancing durability of cementing material is one of the recent advanced techniques. In this technique all the surface defects are filled with cations from the electrolytic solutions. Applied direct current (DC) is the driving force for migration of cations from the electrolytic solution. Outside anode and embedded cathode in cement mortar with cationic oxide solutions such as Calcium hydroxide, Potassium hydroxide, Nano silica solution, etc, forms electrolyte. The migrated cations travel into the mortar through the pores, cracks, fissures and other surface defects of mortar and fill the empty spaces and thereby a dense, durable, pore free mortar specimen is obtained, this will prevent the entry of aggressive ions when exposed in the field. The concept of electrokinetic principles and its applications are explained neatly.

Keywords: Electrolyte, Durability, Electrokinetic, Migration, Surface defects, Cations