Nanomodified energy-efficient gypsum materials: structure and properties

Currently, many building materials for interior finishing are based on gypsum as a binder. Usage of gypsum allows to significantly simplify both the production of building materials and to increase the operational properties related to energy efficiency. This makes important the studies directed to the improvement of gypsum-based binders. In the present work the influence of nanoscale modifiers based on zinc hydrosilicates to the structure and properties of gypsum was examined. The dependence between compressive strength of gypsum and content of the modifier was approximated by a rational function. It was found that the reason for the increase of strength is a change in the structure of the newly forming gypsum; such a change consists, in particular, in the formation of split crystals. At the same time, chemical composition of the nanomodified gypsum remains unchanged. It is shown that the formation of split gypsum crystals is observed when using nanomodifiers that significantly shorten the setting time.