Benzimidazole-connected microporous conjugated polymers bolstered by dendritic fibrous nanosilica as a significant additive in the context of ultra-high-performance concrete

Even distribution of silica is fundamentally important for enhancing the quality of concrete mixtures with minimal water-to-binder ratios, such as those used in high-performing concretes. At high concentrations, achieving effective dispersion of nano silica is a formidable task when using traditional plasticizers. In this study, we assessed the production of Ultra-High-performance concretes using DFNS-DAB@TFPA and DFNS-DAB@TFPT. Ultra-High-performance concretes serve as an exemplary model due to their very low water-to-binder ratio and high volume of dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS). Notably, Ultra-High-performance concretes incorporating all DFNS-DAB@TFPA and DFNS-DAB@TFPT samples displayed reduced viscosity, extended malleability, and decreased need for intense mixing compared to Ultra-High-performance concretes containing DFNS alone. The incorporation of DFNS-DAB@TFPA and DFNS-DAB@TFPT also enables a substantial reduction in the quantity of polycarboxylate superplasticizer required to achieve adequate dispersion. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy analysis of the Ultra-High-performance concretes containing DFNS-DAB@TFPA and DFNS-DAB@TFPT particles clearly illustrated superior dispersion compared to Ultra-High-performance concretes containing DFNS particles. Considering their lower viscosity, prolonged malleability, reduced energy requirements for mixing, and enhanced compressive strengths, we anticipated that DFNS-DAB@TFPA and DFNS-DAB@TFPT could have a significant influence on the production of Ultra-High-performance concretes.