The Impact of DNA as a Chemical Admixture for Cementitious Materials

Viscosity modifying agents (VMA) and superplasticizers (SP) are two common macromolecular admixture types for cementitious materials. VMAs are used to stabilize fresh cementitious materials, while SPs are used to disperse them. Most VMAs are bio-based polysaccharides that act in the water phase between particles; while most SPs are synthetic comb polymers, consisting of negatively charged backbones that help their adsorption to the cement particles' surface. The molecular structure of DNA contains elements of VMA – as it is a polysaccharide – and SP – as it is a polyanion. In this study, rheological measurements are used to compare how these three types of macromolecules (VMA, SP, and DNA) affect cementitious materials. It is found that DNA shows the combined effects of VMAs and SPs on cement paste: it lowers yield stress while at the same time maintaining or even increasing its viscosity, which permits reducing water content while avoiding bleeding or segregation of samples. Yet, the presence of DNA has a significant retardation impact on cement hydration, which is also a common side effect of VMAs and SPs.