The role of nano-CaCO<sub>3</sub> in the mechanical performance of polyvinyl alcohol fibre-reinforced geopolymer composites
Hasan Assaedi
Abstract
This paper investigates the mechanical (compressive and flexural strengths, flexural rigidity, stiffness, impact strength, hardness, compressive strain-stress and flexural load-deflection) and microstructural properties of polyvinyl alcohol- (PVA)-geopolymer composites reinforced with different amounts of nano-CaCO3 particles and cured at room temperature. The results reveal that using up to 2.0 wt% nano-CaCO3 leads to an improvement in PVA-geopolymer composite performance. Composites with this amount of CaCO3 particles exhibited compact microstructures, as well as high levels of compressive stress-strain and flexural load-deflection, leading to good adhesion or interaction within the PVA fibre interface within the matrix. It was also evident that the combined effect of nano-CaCO3 and well-dispersed PVA fibres in the matrix leads to composites with superior mechanical properties, most clearly in samples containing 2.0 wt% nanoparticles.