Effect of acid activation on the mechanical and shrinkage properties of cement-based materials

Effect of acid activation on compressive strength, shrinkage, microstructure and hydration process of cement-based materials is studied by adding acid activator to them. The strengthening mechanism of acid activation on the mechanical properties and shrinkage resistance of cement-based materials is proposed based on the effects of acid on cement particles, fresh paste and hardened paste, combined with multi-level analysis by microscopic means. The results show that acid activation can significantly improve the compressive strength and shrinkage resistance of cement-based materials. The reason for this is that the acid activator has the effect of refining cement particles, increasing the particle concentration of fresh paste, and densifying hardened paste microstructure.