Evaluation of rheological and hydration properties of cement modified with pectin

• Grant number: 24/18065-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Celso Valentim Santilli
• Grantee: André Alexandre Alves da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cement-based products are the most widely used synthetic materials by humans, surpassing all other industrial sectors. However, its production is associated with serious environmental problems, primarily due to greenhouse gas emissions, whether from the calcination of limestone (CaCO3) to obtain calcium oxide (CaO) or from product transportation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to reduce pollution associated with the cement industry by investigating technological alternatives that enhance the eco-efficiency of the construction sector. This project aims to mitigate these issues with additives that modify the rheological properties of the paste, thereby reducing water consumption, setting time, and cement porosity. In this context, we propose to evaluate the feasibility of using pectin as an additive, which is a heteropolysaccharide composed of polymerized chains of galacturonic acid. Is expected that the high number of hydrophilic functional groups capable of ionization present in pectin will allow for strong interactions with the ions and water in cement pastes, modifying the kinetics of hydration processes and their rheological properties. Additionally, in terms of sustainability, pectin is a biodegradable compound that can be extracted abundantly and without pollutant emissions from plant materials, particularly from the pulp and peels of fruits, thereby utilizing organic waste and promoting a circular economy.