THE MECHANISM OF FORMATION OF THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND CURING OF ARTIFICIAL VITREOUS BINDER MATERIAL
The article gives the findings of researching of vitreous artificial binder (VAB) formation process and explanation of the structure changing mechanism since the moment of receiving VAB in the form of suspension before its curing with formation of a monolith. Receiving VAB is made by mechanochemical activation of sodium-calcium-silicate glass in the liquid environment on specially developed modes providing to it predicted property : density, dispersive structure, volume concentration of a firm phase, and as a result, sedimentation stability, rheological characteristics, time of curing and durability of monoliths. As a result of researches it is established that VAB is the heterogeneous system, consisting of aggregate of the vitreous particles dispersed in the liquid environment, consisting of alkaline solution of colloidal silicon dioxide. Curing of glass suspension occurs due to the polycondensation of colloidal silicon dioxide in the beginning resulting to structuring suspension, and then to its full hardening. The monolith which was formed as a result has a difficult microstructure in which amorphous vitreous particles from 50 to 250 nanometers in size are connected among themselves by siliceous bonds of the solidified gel consisting of particles with average sizes of 20–35 nanometers.