Effect of polymer addition on the thermal stability and thermal expansion of cement

Polymer addition to cement paste was found to decrease the thermal stability and thermal expansion coefficient (CTE). The addition of methylcellulose (0.4% of the cement weight) reduced the mechanical weakening onset temperature from 125 to 42 °C, while decreasing the CTE near room temperature from 10 × 10^-6 °C^-1 to nearly zero. The addition of latex (20% of the cement weight) reduced the mechanical weakening onset temperature from 125 °C to near room temperature, while decreasing the CTE near room temperature from 10 × 10^-6 °C^-1 to -4 × 10^-6 °C^-1.