Polymer-modified cement using belite-rich cement and carbonation reaction

•At 10% dosage, 64.6% of EVA remained in liquid and 35.4% was adsorbed on cement.•Carbonated polymer-modified belite-rich cement has high bending strength.•EVA addition increased reactivity of carbonated belite-rich cement.•EVA addition decreased pore volumes of carbonated samples.

This paper describes the hardening mechanisms and mechanical properties of a new polymer-modified cement (PMC), produced by carbonation of belite-rich cement. A PMC containing carbonated belite-rich cement and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer has high bending strength, and carbonation improves the toughness. The reaction rate of the cement is related to the amounts of CO2 in carbonated samples with or without EVA. The reaction of belite is accelerated by carbonation and the addition of EVA. The pore volumes of carbonated samples containing EVA are smaller than those of EVA-free samples.