Pulsed DC plasma as a tool for the generation of nanomaterials that mitigate the alkali-aggregate reaction in Portland cement concretes

The efficacy of the pulsed DC plasma method in the mitigation of the aggregate alkali reaction, by the deposition of thin films of Al, Ti and Fe nanomaterials on potentially reactive aggregates was investigated from analytical techniques. These included field emission scanning electron microscope, X-ray dispersive energy microprobe, electron back-scatter diffraction, Raman and the resulting expansion in the modified accelerated mortar-bar method. In the 30 days of the test, the values of expansion were obtained in samples with in nature aggregates of (0.77 ± 0.03)% and in those treated of (0.16 ± 0.01)%, (0.16 ± 0.01)% and (0.16 ± 0.00)%, respectively.