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Published on: May 5, 2017
Antifreeze Protein for Freeze-Thaw Durability Enhancement of Cement Mortar: Effects and Action Analysis
Qiyu Zhang1,2, Jingwei Gong1,2, Miaomiao Gong1,2
1College of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China.
Abstract:
Enhancing the freeze-thaw resistance of cement-based materials in a green and efficient manner is crucial for hydraulic structures in cold regions. This study investigated the effects of soybean antifreeze protein (AFP) on the freeze-thaw durability of cement mortar through mechanical testing, low-temperature microscopy, NMR analysis, and frost-heaving stress monitoring. The results show that AFP improves freeze-thaw durability, with 0.5% dosage outperforming 1.0%. Relative to the control, the relative ice content at -20 °C decreased from 62.81% to 40.01%, and frost-heaving stress declined from 321.15 kPa to 123.04 kPa. Microscopy and pore structure analyses revealed that AFP transforms ice crystals from needle-like to fine granular forms, inhibiting ordered growth and retarding pore coarsening. A frost-heaving stress model based on the Gibbs-Thomson effect and ice-crystal fractal characteristics indicated that AFP suppresses stress development by reducing effective ice formation, weakening stress transfer, and increasing ice-crystal boundary complexity. This study offers insights for developing green antifreeze admixtures for cement-based materials in cold regions.
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