eprintid: 10196430 rev_number: 7 eprint_status: archive userid: 699 dir: disk0/10/19/64/30 datestamp: 2024-09-03 11:59:48 lastmod: 2024-09-03 11:59:48 status_changed: 2024-09-03 11:59:48 type: article metadata_visibility: show sword_depositor: 699 creators_name: Al-Mansour, Ahmed creators_name: Xu, Chengji creators_name: Yang, Rijiao creators_name: Dai, Yuqing creators_name: Dang, Nanxi creators_name: Lan, Yan creators_name: Zhang, Mingzhong creators_name: Fu, Chuanqing creators_name: Gong, Fuyuan creators_name: Zeng, Qiang title: Unleashing high-volume waste plastic recycling in sustainable cement mortar with synergistic matrix enabled by in-situ polymerization ispublished: inpress divisions: UCL divisions: B04 divisions: F44 keywords: Waste plastic; In-situ polymerization; Interfacial transition zone; Microstructure. note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. abstract: The substantial energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the production and transportation of concrete and its components have necessitated the search for suitable replacements, particularly waste materials such as plastic, to mitigate their environmental impact. The emergent challenge of employing recycled waste plastics (RWP) in concrete centers around their poor interactions with the cement matrix. Here, a synergistic approach with in-situ polymerization by using sodium acrylate (SA) at various doses (0 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, 2 %) was employed to produce environmentally-friendly mortars. Recycled polypropylene (PP) particles were adopted as the aggregate to replace natural sand in cement mortar. Results indicate decreased water contact angel by 46 % and increased pull-off strength by 25 % for SA-polymerized PP. Moreover, mortars with 2 % SA exhibited a 31 % increase in compressive strength, a 64 % increase in flexural strength, a 76 % reduction in water sorptivity, and a 13.6 % decrease in total porosity. The formation of interconnected polymeric networks in the cement matrix and interfacial transition zone (ITZ) contributes to structural densification, highlighting the superior engineering properties. These findings present a promising pathway towards sustainable and resource-efficient building materials, fostering a circular economy for plastics. date: 2024-10 date_type: published publisher: Elsevier BV official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.138031 full_text_type: other language: eng verified: verified_manual elements_id: 2308898 doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.138031 lyricists_name: Zhang, Mingzhong lyricists_id: MZHAA72 actors_name: Zhang, Mingzhong actors_id: MZHAA72 actors_role: owner full_text_status: restricted publication: Construction and Building Materials volume: 447 article_number: 138031 issn: 0950-0618 citation: Al-Mansour, Ahmed; Xu, Chengji; Yang, Rijiao; Dai, Yuqing; Dang, Nanxi; Lan, Yan; Zhang, Mingzhong; ... Zeng, Qiang; + view all <#> Al-Mansour, Ahmed; Xu, Chengji; Yang, Rijiao; Dai, Yuqing; Dang, Nanxi; Lan, Yan; Zhang, Mingzhong; Fu, Chuanqing; Gong, Fuyuan; Zeng, Qiang; - view fewer <#> (2024) Unleashing high-volume waste plastic recycling in sustainable cement mortar with synergistic matrix enabled by in-situ polymerization. Construction and Building Materials , 447 , Article 138031. 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.138031 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.138031>. (In press). document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10196430/1/Accepted%20Version.pdf