Effect of polyvinyl alcohol on the hydration of cement with rice husk ash

Effect of 3.0-wt.% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was studied on the hydration of ordinary Portland cement in the presence and absence of 10% rice husk ash (RHA) by employing different techniques. The results have shown that PVA increases the strength and decreases the porosity. The increase in strength is due to the interaction of PVA with cement, forming some new compounds that fill the ports or improve the bond between the cement. The two cements behave in a similar way, and hence, replacement of cement by 10-wt.% RHA is beneficial. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.