Effect of protein additive on properties of mortar

Test results presented in the article describe the impact of a protein additive (powdered red blood cells) on selected physical properties of cement paste, fresh mortar and physical and mechanical properties of hardened mortar. The protein additive is achieved as a result of industrial processing of animal blood. The research was made in the laboratory of the Institute of Structural Engineering of Poznan University of Technology. The analysis of the test results achieved showed that the protein included in the preparation added to the mortar leads to intensive air entraining, which has a significant effect on the most basic of physical properties both of the fresh mortar (consistence, plasticity, volumetric density) and hardened mortar (bending strength, shrinkage, volumetric density and frost resistance). The intensity of this influence, calculated in relation to the mass of the protein preparation added to the mortar, for most of the tested properties, is much higher than in the case of currently used air entraining agents [Chatterji S. Freezing of air-entrained cement-based materials and specific actions of air-entraining agents. Cem Concr Compos 2003;25:759-65, Du Lianxiang, Folliard KJ. Mechanisms of air entrainment in concrete. Cem Concr Res 2005;35:1463-71, Neville AM. Properties of concrete. 4th and final ed. London: Longman Group Limited, 1995. p. 844]. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.