Examination of the Effects of Curing Temperature, Bonding Agent, and Substrate Water Saturation on the Bond Strength of the NC–UHPC Interface
摘要
This study examines the synergistic effects of curing temperature, substrate water saturation, and bonding agent on the interfacial bonding performance of NC–UHPC composite specimens from both macro- and micro-perspectives. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to investigate the microstructure of the bonding contact, whereas X-ray diffraction (XRD) assessed the material composition at the interface and clarified the bonding mechanism. Results demonstrate that, in comparison with room-temperature (20 °C) curing, both elevated (50 °C) and low-temperature (− 30 °C) curing conditions diminish the bond strength of composite specimens. The water saturation level of the NC substrate markedly affected the binding performance of composite specimens. Optimal interfacial bonding moisture conditions were attained at 50% substrate water saturation exclusively at a curing temperature of 20 °C, utilizing cement paste (C) as the bonding agent. For additional specimens, interfacial bond strength diminished as substrate water saturation increased. Cement paste (C) exhibited enhanced bonding performance relative to bisphenol A epoxy resin (E51) on smooth NC surfaces. Gray correlation analysis revealed that curing temperature was the most significant component influencing bond strength, succeeded by substrate water saturation and bonding agent. XRD research indicated an augmentation of hydration products in the overlay transition zone (OTZ) of composite specimens using C as the bonding agent. SEM analysis revealed that the UHPC paste structure displayed increased porosity under both elevated and reduced curing temperatures. With the increase in substrate water saturation, both the bond interface width and the quantity of cracks and voids within the OTZ region exhibited a rising trend.