Mechanical properties of cement pastes containing plasma-treated silicon-based materials

Abstract

The study delves into the impact of waste silicon-based materials on the mechanical characteristics of the resulting cement pastes. The investigation uses Portland cement CEM I 42.5R in conjunction with silicon-based waste materials sourced from the packaging industry, specifically from Recifa, a.s. Variations between the sample groups arise from differences in the concentration of silicon-based materials and the method of surface treatment. The inquiry seeks to assess the effects of two distinct levels of Si-based material incorporation, namely 10 wt. % and 20 wt. %, along with plasma treatment involving two different gases: oxygen (O₂) and hydrogen (H₂). The mechanical attributes under scrutiny encompass compressive and flexural strengths. The evaluation of mechanical properties is carried out on samples aged 28 days, with dimensions measuring 20 × 20 × 100 mm.