Effect of Titanium Dioxide on Properties of Cement Mortar Blended Periwinkle Shell Ash
Audu, I. Tiamiyu.1 Job, O. Fredrick2. Dakas, A. Isa³, Ishaya, Awari. A.Pozzolana cement/concrete has been identified with the problem of early strength development by many researchers, this was due to the slow pozzolanic reactions in pozzolana mortar/concrete, which also denies its usage where early strength is of paramount. To arrest this, several additives are being added to enhance its early strength development. The introduction of titanium dioxide (TiO?) at different percentage replacements of 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% of the weight of cement on the optimum dosage of periwinkle shell ash as adopted from the work of Olusola & Akaninyene (2012) serve as control specimen (0%TiO?) in this research with a designed mortar of grade 7.5N/ mm2 at 28days. This study therefore, examine the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO?) on the properties of cement mortar blended periwinkle shell ash (PSA). The rheological properties and the compressive strength were carried out at 3, 7, 14 and 28days. Decreased in consistency for the mortar was observed as TiO? percentage increases when compared with the control. Likewise, the initial and final setting time of the mortar decreases as the percentage replacement of TiO? increases. The compressive strength tends to increase by increasing the amount of TiO? compared to the control up to 6% replacement of TiO. It was concluded that the addition of TiO? to mortar mixes reduces the measured flow in accordance with ASTM: C 1437– 07. It therefore, improves the rheological properties of the cement mortar, and the compressive strength was increased with the inclusion of TiO? at almost all the percentages with 6% TiO? as the optimum dosage.