Modifications in Setting, Strength and Moisture Resistance of Magnesium Oxysulfate by Mixing Polyvinyl Alcohol as an Additive

Magnesium oxysulfate cement (MOS) is a novel kind of binder with numerous advantageous qualities, including good binding capabilities, fire resistance, environmentally friendly etc. There are many benefits of using non-hydraulic MOS instead of traditional Portland cement. MOS saves energy and preserves the environment, which makes it an attractive research area. Its low early strength and poor moisture resistance make large-scale commercial application impractical, despite of its many benefits. In this experiment, Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used as an additive to overcome its drawbacks. The results showed that PVA increased initial as well as final setting time of MOS. PVA also improved compressive strength and water resistance of MOS. Experimental results are supported by FTIR analysis.