Organic and inorganic concrete under SO2 pollutant exposure

The performance of a polymer concrete (85% sand and 15% polymer) and cement mortar by the environmental ageing has been investigated. The materials were exposed to an environmental pollutant (SO2) in laboratory-based atmospheric flow chambers. The additional influence of oxidants and water were also investigated. For both materials, unwetted conditions led to the reaction between the SO2 pollutant and the exposed surface of the material. However, when the materials were exposed in wetted conditions, the reaction for cement mortar is about 40 times greater than for polymer concrete. This indicates that hydrophobicity of the surface of the polymer concrete prevents the attack of the pollutant. Also, the relatively inert chemistry of polymer concrete limits the reaction.