Low Cost Lightweight and Crack Resistant Polymer Cement Composite Mterials for Concrete Repair

Navy is facing a major challenge to repair various concrete structures, since marine environments have low concrete life expectancy. Currently available concrete repair materials are prone to cracking, very permeable to water and therefore, unsatisfactory for Navy applications. It is proposed here to develop modified elastomers from recycled rubber tires using super electrophiles for polymer cement based composite repair material. The modified recycled rubber will be chemically bonded to the cement and thereby, forming a very strong bond as oppose to physical bond in unmodified rubber cement system. The proposed polymer cement composite would have the advantages of reduced crack formation, increased thermal insulation, increased impermeability to water, reduced overall weight, improved tensile strength and elasticity. This duel-use technology with little modifications can easily be applied to numerous other civilian applications such as concrete building structures, roads and pavements. Anticipated Benefits