Effect of ethanolamine and nano-TiO2 on the properties of ferrocement composites under different exposure environments

The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 1%, 3% and 5% content of ethanolamine (EA) and nano-TiO2 (NT) on the corrosion resistance properties of ferrocement composites exposed under tap water, saline water and sulphuric acidic solution environments. The corrosion behaviour composites were assessed through potentiodynamic polarization technique. Besides, the effect of EA and NT on the fresh, hardened, microstructural and mineralogical properties of cementitious composites were evaluated by conducting setting time, compressive strength, SEM, EDX and XRD studies. The corrosion resistance properties of ferrocement composites were found to be improved with the addition of both EA and NT. The corrosion inhibition efficiency of EA was observed to be increasing up to 3% but decreased at 5% dose, whereas it was increasing with increasing the content of NT in all the three exposure environments. The EA and NT were found to be acting as retarder and accelerator, respectively. The addition of EA led to decrease the 28-days compressive strength of mortar, however the addition of NT showed an opposite effects. Similar impacts on the 180-days compressive strengths mortars exposed under tap water, saline water and acidic solution were also observed. The SEM and XRD analyses revealed that EA caused adverse impacts on the microstructure and hydration products of OPC, though NT enhanced the microstructure and the quantities of desirable hydration products.