Improvements in the Printability of Printed Mortar Using In-Situ Polymerization

Polymers are often used as viscosity-modifying agents to improve the printability of 3D printed concrete (3DPC). However, they fail to offer quick strength to the printed structure. When monomers polymerize, the properties of the monomer solution change from liquid to gel, which we utilize to improve the printability of 3DPC. The results demonstrate that in-situ polymerization of acrylamide in mortar enables enhancements of the extrudability, green strength, flexural strength and layer bonding strength of 3DPC. The disadvantage is that the polymerization process will reduce the volume stability of 3DPC.