Strength and Durability Assessment of Portland Cement Mortars Formulated from Hydrogen-Rich Water

We investigated the effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on the strength and durability of Portland cement mortars. We comparatively assessed the performances of HRW-based mortars (HWMs) with respect to cement mortars fabricated from control water (CWM). The results indicate that the use of HRW significantly improves the compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strength of mortars at both the early and later ages of curing. Durability was assessed in terms of capillary absorption, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), dynamic elastic modulus (DEM), and electrical resistivity (ER). We attribute the generally improved mechanical and durability properties of HWMs to the formation of more cement hydrates with fewer voids in the hydrogen-rich environment. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses, we deduce that the use of HRW in Portland cement mortars produces a more compact, dense, and durable microstructure with fewer voids due to a higher degree of hydration.