Use of aminosilane coupling agents in cementitious materials

The work presented in this paper has been focused on the evaluation of the influence of the addition of ammosilanes like gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-AMPS) on physical and mechanical properties of fresh and hardened polymer modified cement mortars (PMCMs), which contained also mineral fillers like fumed silica and blast furnace slag. The role of the aminosilane in cementitious system was to produce surface modification and covalent bonding among different inorganic phases of inorganic matrix (cement, aggregate, fumed silica) and strong chemical interaction between inorganic matrix and organic (polymer) phase of the mortar. The strong chemical bonding of inorganic matrix and polymer phase transformed composite mortar into cementitious material with more like monolithic structure. Mortars with the addition of aminosilanes showed improved physical-mechanical properties like bending strength, adhesion to concrete, and lower dry-shrinkage.