ScholarWorks@성균관대학교

초록

Mitigating carbon emissions while enhancing cement performance has remained a persistent challenge in sustainable construction. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach using argon plasma-activated water (Ar-PAW) to significantly improve cement hydration and mechanical properties through controlled H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) generation and decomposition. Plasma-activated water (PAW) refers to water treated with non-thermal plasma to generate reactive species, while Ar-PAW specifically denotes water treated with argon plasma. Unlike conventional methods, plasma treatment of mixing water produces stable H2O2 reservoirs (up to 12.05 ppm at an optimal 4 L/min flow), which, upon decomposition in the alkaline cement environment, facilitate deep water penetration and sustained oxygen release throughout the cement matrix. This innovative mechanism leads to a 23 % increase in compressive strength (60 vs. 48 MPa at 28 days), a 28 % improvement in flowability, and notable microstructural refinement, as confirmed by advanced characterization. Notably, the nanoscopic size of O2 molecules (0.12 nm diameter) generated from H2O2 decomposition efficiently permeates both gel and capillary pores, reduces total porosity, and promotes uniform C-S-H gel formation. The 23 % increase in compressive strength, attributed to refined microstructure, enables a 15-20 % cement reduction without performance loss. These results establish plasma-activated water as a transformative and practical solution for sustainable concrete production. It offers previously unattainable control over hydration chemistry and microstructure through a novel H2O2-mediated pathway.

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