Superabsorbent polymers as internal curing agents in alkali activated slag mortars

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) as internal curing agents to mitigate the autogenous shrinkage of alkali activated slag (AAS) mortar. The autogenous shrinkage, compressive strength, hydration, and microstructural characteristics of AAS mortar with a couple of types of alkali activators with SAPs use were investigated. The test results showed that SAPs played an important role in reducing the shrinkage of AAS mortars, which has been a major limitation in their wider application. Higher reductions in porosity were observed for AAS pastes with SAPs compared with those without SAPs.