Permeability and pore structure of microcapsule-based self-healing cementitious composite

The effects of adding organic microcapsules having various particle sizes and composition on the permeability, carbonation resistance, pore structure, and self-healing efficiency of cementitious composite material were studied using rapid chloride migration, water pressure penetration, carbonation, and mercury intrusion porosimetry tests. It was found that increasing microcapsule content to 3% improved pore structure and impermeability. However, with 6% microcapsule content, the material impermeability became even lower than that of a specimen without microcapsules. The variation of particle sizes had a slight negative impact on impermeability although it improved pore structure. Increasing microcapsule content and particle size enhanced impermeability, pore structure, and self-healing efficiency of specimens.