Preparation, thermal, spectral and microscopic studies of calcium silicate hydrate–poly(acrylic acid) nanocomposite materials

A series of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H)-polymer nanocomposite (C–S–HPN) materials were prepared by incorporating poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) into the inorganic layers of C–S–H during precipitation of quasicrystalline C–S–H from aqueous solution. The as-synthesized C–S–HPN materials were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The XRD analysis of C–S–HPN materials suggest the intermediate organizations presenting intercalation of PAA within C–S–H and exfoliation of C–S–H. The SEM micrographs of C–S–H, PAA and C–S–HPN materials with different PAA contents exhibit the significant differences in their morphologies. The effect of the material’s composition on the thermal stability of a series of C–S–HPN materials along with PAA and C–S–H were studied by TG, DTA and DSC. Three significant decomposition temperature ranges were observed on the TG curves of all C–S–HPN materials.