Glass fibers are widely used in cement-based precast products, given the reinforcing requirements for toughness and strength. However, inferior alkali resistance hinders the effectiveness of glass fibers in reinforcing cement-based materials. In this paper, nanoparticle coatings were applied on the surface of alkali-resistant glass fiber (ARGF) as a protective layer via the in situ chemical reaction of oleic acid (OA) and potassium permanganate (PP). The morphology and constituents of the as-prepared ARGFs were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and obtaining X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Mass loss and strength retention were investigated to characterize alkali resistance of modified ARGFs. Results showed that ARGFs could be optimally coated by a layer of MnO2-based nanoparticles consisting of approximately 70% MnO2, 18% MnO, and 12% MnSiO3, when modified with an optimum OA to PP ratio of 10 for 24 h. The dissolution of ARGFs matrix in 4% and 10% NaOH solutions were distinctly delayed to 28 d, as a consequence of the introduction of the MnO2-based nanoparticle layer, compared with nontreated ARGF occurring at 3 d in 4% NaOH solution. For the optimally modified ARGFs, the mass loss was controlled to 1.76% and 2.91% after 90 d of corrosion in 4% and 10% NaOH solutions, and the retention of tensile strength was increased by approximately 25%. With respect to the increment in alkali-resistant performance, the modified ARGFs can be promising candidates for wide applications in alkaline cement-based products.
Keywords: alkali resistance; glass fibers; nanoparticles; surface modification.