Dual Modification of Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Composites with Ethyl Cellulose and Poly(dimethylsiloxane) as Sustainable Construction Materials

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have emerged as promising next-generation materials for advanced structures in civil engineering. Notwithstanding the recent progress, the unsatisfactory mechanical properties and problematic long-term stability in the alkali environment remain daunting challenges toward their large-scale practicability. In this study, we address such limitations by a dual modification method, in which first ethyl cellulose (EC) is incorporated into the matrix and then the FRP composite is dipped in a dilute poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) solution. The FRP composite exhibited enhanced flexural strength by 23.4% and increased flexural modulus by 23.5% compared to those of the pristine basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP). Such an eminent performance is mainly attributed to the bridging effect of EC. As confirmed by the DMA characterization, the incorporation of EC greatly increased the cross-linking density and improved the thermal stability. Additionally, the FRP composite had a stable performance in the alkali environment tests. Tuning the amount of ethyl cellulose was found to have a profound effect on the mechanical performance and aging behavior in the alkali solution. This study establishes a practical approach to fabricating FRP composites with long-term stability in alkali environments.

Automated summary

This study addresses the challenges of unsatisfactory mechanical properties and long-term stability in the alkali environment of fiber-reinforced polymer composites through a dual modification method, resulting in enhanced performance and stability.