José Ignacio Alvarez

José Ignacio Alvarez
Universidad de Navarra | UNAV · Department of Chemistry

Professor

About

129
Publications
56,805
Reads
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4,377
Citations
Introduction
Improvement of repair building materials for Cultural Heritage: lime mortars with additions and admixtures for repair works. Multifunctional coatings to be applied onto building materials including superhydrophobic compounds and photocatalysts Development of new photocatalysts for mortars and cement-based materials to achieve self-cleaning materials and to apply them for reducing the atmospheric pollutants.
Additional affiliations
January 1996 - September 2015
Universidad de Navarra
Position
  • Accredited Full Professor of Materials Science and lnorganic Chemistry by ANECA (National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation of Spain), Head of the MIMED Research group
January 1993 - present
Universidad de Navarra
Position
  • Accredited Full Professor of Materials Science and Inorganic Chemistry by ANECA (National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation of Spain) - Head of the MIMED Research group
Description
  • Research on cement, air lime mortars for restoration of Cultural Heritage, admixtures and additives, encapsulation of wastes into cement materials and photocatalysts to be used in cement and mortars to achieve self-cleaning materials.

Publications

Publications (129)
Article
Full-text available
The thermal efficiency of air lime-based mortars was improved by directly integrating varying amounts (5 wt. %, 10 wt. %, and 20 wt. %) of a microencapsulated biobased phase change material (PCM) into the fresh mortars. This PCM is made of vegetable oils and other organic wastes from the agri-food sector. The mortar formulation was optimized by add...
Article
Full-text available
The interaction of microencapsulated phase change materials (PCMs) with polymeric chemical additives in an air lime binding matrix was studied. These polymer-based additives included an adhesion booster (derived from starch) and a superplasticizer (polycarboxylate ether). Two different PCMs with melting points of 18 °C and 24 °C were assayed. The m...
Article
Full-text available
The use of a modified lime mortar as a binder for the stabilization/solidification of mine tailings presents a promising and sustainable solution for immobilizing potentially toxic elements found in these waste materials compared to cement mortars. The effectiveness of this modified lime mortar in avoiding the mobility of toxic elements, namely lea...
Article
Most earthen historical buildings have been abandoned for decades, exposed to the weathering and the passage of time. In Mexico, the low status of earthen constructions has increased these deterioration processes, resulting into the risk of disappearance of this significant architectural heritage. Historical adobes from monumental buildings in the...
Article
Full-text available
The aim of this study was to develop versatile coatings that can protect the stone surfaces of Architectural Heritage. Two different 3D media, namely superhydrophobic (SPHB) and hydro-oleophobic (OHB), were utilized as host matrices for nanostructured photocatalysts (Bi2O3-ZnO 8/92). These photocatalysts were sensitive to visible light to enhance t...
Chapter
Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials (PCMs) were included in air lime rendering mortars in order to improve the thermal comfort of the inhabitants and the energy efficiency of buildings of the Architectural Heritage under the premises of minimum intervention and maximum compatibility. Three different PCMs were tested and directly added during t...
Chapter
Different batches of repair lime rendering mortars were designed by mixing microencapsulated Phase Change Materials (PCMs) and other additives. The final aim of these renders is to improve the thermal efficiency of the envelope of the Built Heritage, while allowing the practitioners to apply a render with positive final performance. The combination...
Article
Full-text available
The scope of this collective paper produced in the frame of RILEM TC 277-LHS is to provide sound knowledge on the use of additives/ admixtures in lime-based mortars, based on literature and practice. The most widely known additives/ admixtures are systematically presented. Their main This review was prepared by the authors within RILEM TC 277-LHS '...
Article
Full-text available
The scope of this collective paper produced in the frame of RILEM TC 277-LHS is to provide sound knowledge on the use of additives/admixtures in lime-based mortars, based on literature and practice. The most widely known additives/admixtures are systematically presented. Their main effects and testing of their performance have been properly tabulat...
Article
Full-text available
It is believed that many historic mortars were made using hot-lime mixing techniques. They are back in use today, and their good qualities are often praised, including being more compatible and a better match with historic fabrics. This paper studies the methods of producing hot-lime mortars and putties. It discusses the variables that determine th...
Article
Full-text available
Many studies have shown the capacity of soil humic substances (HS) to improve plant growth in natural ecosystems. This effect involves the activation of different processes within the plant at different coordinated molecular, biochemical, and physiological levels. However, the first event triggered by plant root-HS interaction remains unclear. Some...
Article
Full-text available
For conservation interventions of historic masonry generally lime-based mortars such as pure air lime mortars, lime-pozzolan mortars, natural hydraulic lime mortars and ternary mortars (lime-pozzolan-cement) are used. The main reason is that their hygric and mechanical (strength and ductility) performance are easy to adapt to most existing historic...
Article
Full-text available
Leishmaniasis urgently needs new oral treatments, as it is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases that affects people with poor resources. The drug discovery pipeline for oral administration currently discards entities with poor aqueous solubility and permeability (class IV compounds in the Biopharmaceutical Classification System, BC...
Article
Full-text available
The main objective of RILEM TC LHS-277 “Specifications for testing and evaluation of lime-based repair materials for historic Structures” is the revision, adaption and, when necessary proposal, of the test methods to accurately study lime-based binding systems and mixtures, such as mortars and grouts. The empiric use of the lime-based composites an...
Article
The present work presents focuses on the use of different admixtures for the development of rendering lime-based mortars with improved adhesion and durability, as well as reduction of cracking. To this aim, combinations of an adhesion improver (ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer, EVA), a water repellent agent (sodium oleate), a viscosity enhancer (a...
Article
Full-text available
The aim of this study is to develop new air lime mortars with enhanced photocatalytic depolluting and self-cleaning abilities. Nanosilica, as pozzolanic mineral admixture, was used to improve the strength of mortars, whereas nanotitania (TiO2) was added to impart photocatalytic properties. At the same time, five different dispersing admixtures –sup...
Preprint
Full-text available
Unique multifunctional coatings, comprising a 3D superhydrophobic agent and two nanostructured photocatalysts (solar-light sensitive 50/50 and 10/90 TiO 2-ZnO nano-heterostructures), compatible with the inorganic substrates of the Built Heritage, have been designed. The synthesized nanoparticles showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity (tested by...
Article
The 5th Historic Mortars Conference was held in Pamplona, at the University of Navarra, Spain, during June 19–21, 2019. HMC 2019 hosted more than 150 scientific communications from the five continents. The underlying theme was the interest in the Historic Mortars from multiple points of view: Analysis of ancient materials, either in archaeological...
Article
Full-text available
This paper presents the experimental procedure to develop air lime-based injection grouts, including polymeric superplasticizers, a water repellent agent and pozzolanic agents as additives. Our research focuses on the development of grouts to improve various characteristics simultaneously by combining different additions and admixtures. Aiming to i...
Article
Unique multifunctional coatings, comprising a 3D superhydrophobic agent and two nanostructured photocatalysts (solar-light sensitive 50/50 and 10/90 TiO2-ZnO nano-heterostructures), compatible with the inorganic substrates of the Built Heritage, have been designed. The synthesized nanoparticles showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity (tested by...
Conference Paper
This work reports the obtaining of lime-based grouts as repairing materials. Microsilica was added as pozzolanic additive to enhance the compressive strength of the hardened grouts. Sodium oleate, as water repellent admixture, and different superplasticizers (SPs) were also incorporated to reduce the water absorption and to enhance the injectabilit...
Article
This study analyses the feasibility of incorporating electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) in the production of self-compacting mortars from the point of view of durability. Two types of EAFD, previously characterized and classified as hazardous waste, were used. Siliceous filler (powder) was replaced at different ratios (25%, 50%, and 100%, by volume)....
Article
In construction, there is a need to respond to environmental challenges and implement the Circular Economy as a strategy for the sustainable growth of the sector. To eliminate the lack of confidence in the application of the waste from this sector, it is necessary to carry out research in order to achieve an effective and integral management, as we...
Article
The search for answers to the environmental challenges is one of the obligations of the current society. Therefore, the optimisation of natural resources and the minimisation and revaluation of waste should be present in any activity. These purposes should be included in both the construction and energy sectors owing to the large amount of resource...
Article
The pore structure of air lime mortars, formulated with aggregates of different mineralogy and grain size distribution, was evaluated with the aim of studying the influence of sand type on the microstructural modification over time and of establishing the relationship between these modifications and the mechanical behaviour. The microstructure of...
Article
Full-text available
A new range of grouts prepared by air lime and metakaolin (MK) as a pozzolanic admixture has been obtained by using as dispersing agents two polymers, namely poly-naphthalene sulfonate (PNS) and lignosulfonate (LS), with the aim of improving the fluidity of the fresh grouts. Fluidity and setting times of the grouts were assessed. Differences in the...
Conference Paper
El presente trabajo tiene como principal objetivo estudiar las interacciones que se producen cuando se adicionan separadamente dos superplastificantes (PNS –sulfonato de polinaftaleno- y LS –lignosulfonato-) a un conglomerante aéreo (cal aérea Cl 90-S) y a uno hidráulico formado por cal aérea a la que se le ha añadido metacaolín como material puzol...
Article
Coatings made with water dispersions of different nano-particles of photocatalytic additives (titania and titania doped with iron and vanadium) were prepared with diverse superplasticizers, SPs, to optimize the atmospheric NO removal efficiency when applied onto cement- and air-lime mortars. The use of different polycarboxylate-based superplasticiz...
Article
Full-text available
Mortars with two different binders (Portland cement (PC) and high alumina cement (HAC)) were modified upon the bulk incorporation of nano-structured photocatalytic additives (bare TiO₂, and TiO₂ doped with either iron (Fe-TiO₂) or vanadium (V-TiO₂)). Plastic and hardened state properties of these mortars were assessed in order to study the influenc...
Article
Mortars made with Portland cement, two different calcium aluminate cements and air lime were chosen to incorporate photocatalytic additives, because they have large exposed surfaces that boost the photochemical oxidation (PCO) of atmospheric pollutants such as nitrogen oxides. TiO2 as reference catalyst, and two doped titania, Fe-TiO2 and V-TiO2, w...
Article
Polynaphtalenesulfonate (PNS) and lignosulfonate (LS) were tested as superplasticizers in pastes and mortars of pure air lime and air lime with a pozzolanic additive, nanosilica (NS). LS showed a better plasticizing effect than PNS: the flowability of the samples with LS as well as the slump retention over time was larger. LS strongly hindered carb...
Article
Phosphate coating hazardous wastes originated from the automotive industry were efficiently encapsulated by an acid-base reaction between phosphates present in the sludge and calcium aluminate cement, yielding very inert and stable monolithic blocks of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP). Two different compositions of industrial sludge were character...
Article
Two polycarboxylate ether copolymers were assessed as superplasticizers (SPs) for hydrated lime pastes modified with two reactive compounds, nanosilica (NS) and ceramic metakaolin (MK). Characterization of the molecular structure of the SPs by Size Exclusion Chromatography, XRD, FTIR and MALDI-TOF (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-o...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Article
Full-text available
Los medios audiovisuales son herramientas adecuadas hoy en día para ilustrar el desarrollo de las clases magistra-les impartidas por el profesor universitario. El alumno se desenvuelve con soltura en estos soportes, y la utilización de estos medios es un óptimo complemento para una buena comprensión del tema. Particularizando esta acción en estudio...
Article
The performance of air lime mortars modified by the incorporation of large amounts of nanostructured colloidal silica–nanosilica, NS – (6, 10 and 20 wt.% with respect to lime) was the main objective of this work. Fresh mixture properties (water demand, setting time and plastic shrinkage), mechanical strengths up to one year and specimens’ durabilit...
Article
Polyphosphate-modified calcium aluminate cement matrices were prepared by using aqueous solutions polluted with toxic metals as mixing water to obtain waste-containing solid blocks with improved management and disposal. Synthetically contaminated waters containing either Pb or Cu or Zn were incorporated into phosphoaluminate cement mortars and the...
Article
The recycling of WFS in calcium aluminate cement mortars at high level of replacement (50%) was studied. Consistency and setting time were measured in fresh mortars. Two different curing conditions were used, the second one with the aim of enhancing the formation of stable cubic calcium aluminate hydrates. Compressive strength, pore size distributi...
Article
The addition of a pozzolanic nanosized material, nanosilica (NS), onto lime binding materials was carried out with the aim of assessing the microstructural modifications attained by its presence that were related to the mechanical behavior. Simultaneously, a comparative study between five different drying methods for water removal was reported, and...
Article
Full-text available
The ability of calcium aluminate cement (CAC) to encapsulate toxic metals (Pb, Zn and Cu) was assessed under two curing conditions. Changes in the consistency and in the setting time were found upon the addition of the nitrates of the target metals. Both Pb and Cu caused a delay in CAC hydration, while Zn accelerated the stiffening of the mortar. C...
Article
The effect of individual and combined addition of both nanosilica (NS) and polycarboxylate-ether plasticizer (PCE) admixtures on aerial lime mortars was studied. The sole incorporation of NS increased the water demand, as proved by the mini-spread flow test. An interaction between NS and hydrated lime particles was observed in fresh mixtures by mea...
Article
Dry mortars consisting of Portland BL I 52.5 R cement (14%), dolomite and CaCO3 sands (85,8%) and organic additives (0.2%) were studied. Three types of dolomite sands with mean grain size >1.0 mm, 0.0–1.0 mm and 0.0–0.5 mm range were used. The mortars were prepared from variable amounts of each raw material (dolomite and CaCO3 sands) and in variabl...
Article
The effect of two non-ionic chitosan derivatives (hydroxypropyl (HPCH) and hydroxyethyl (HECH) chitosans) and one ionic derivative (carboxymethylchitosan. CMCH) on the fresh-state properties of cement mortars was studied. Zeta potential measurements and particle size distribution were carried out in order to elucidate the action mechanism of the ad...
Article
Cement mortars loaded with Cr, Pb and Zn were modified by polymeric admixtures [chitosans with low (LMWCH), medium (MMWCH) and high (HMWCH) molecular weight and hydroxypropylchitosan (HPCH)]. The influence of the simultaneous presence of the heavy metal and the polymeric additive on the fresh properties (consistency, water retention and setting tim...
Article
The performance of an etherified chitosan, carboxymethylchitosan (CMCH), when added to cement mortars doped with heavy metals, was assessed. In the presence of heavy metals (Cr, Pb, Zn) strong modifications of the fresh-state properties were evaluated. The addition of the polymer was seen to be useful in minimising some of these modifications, as t...
Article
Chitosans of different molecular weights were assessed as cement admixtures to modify the rheological properties of a fresh cement paste. Their sequestering capability with respect to several heavy and toxic metals was checked and the complexation processes were investigated by different approaches based on electrochemical measurements. The aim was...
Article
Two different commercial additives that have been reported to act as viscosity enhancing, water retaining admixtures, namely hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and a guar gum derivative, were added to lime-based mortars in order to test their performance. Different properties of lime-based mortars were evaluated: fresh mixture behaviour through water re...
Article
A polypropylene fibre was added to lime-based mortars in order to check whether they were improved by this admixture. Different properties of lime-based mortars were evaluated: fresh state behaviour through water retention, air content and setting time; hardened state properties such as density, shrinkage, water absorption through capillarity, wate...
Article
Ten ancient mortars of dolomitic origin, used in the construction of the church of Santa María de Zamarce in Navarre, Spain, have been studied in order to define their composition and to characterize the type of binder employed. A complete characterization has been carried out including: morphological examination (visually and using optical microsc...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Polysaccharides have been reported to be efficient cement additives behaving as viscosity-enhancing admixtures and set retarders. In the present work, chitosans of different molecular weights have been assessed as cement admixtures. The effect of chitosan incorporation on the rheological properties of a fresh cement paste has been evaluated. For no...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Cement matrices have been extensively used to solidify-stabilize hazardous wastes containing heavy metals. However, the presence of some heavy metals such as lead and zinc modify the hydration of the cement (as well as some other rheological properties) due to the interaction with different cement phases (ettringite, calcium silicate hydrates …). T...
Article
Lime-based mortars modified with admixtures were prepared and subjected to different environments such as outdoor and indoor exposures, climatic chamber, SO2-chamber, and freezing–thawing cycles. The influence that the different admixtures (water repellents, water retainers, polypropylene fibre and a viscosity modifier) had on the pore size distrib...
Article
Full-text available
As an environmentally friendly and energy-saving alternative to cement-based materials and to some chemically obtained water-reducers, a commercialized starch was incorporated into aerial lime-based matrix. Different dosages were tested in order to study the influence that the amount of additive exerted on the properties of the material. Density, s...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
El quitosano es un biopolímero natural procedente de la desacetilación de la quitina. Está formado por unidades repetitivas de ß-(1-4) N-acetil-D-glucosamina y los grupos amino presentes en la molécula hacen del quitosano un polímero con múltiples aplicaciones. En el presente estudio se ha evaluado la capacidad complejante de quitosanos de diferent...
Article
Different dosages of a commercialized potato starch were added to aerial lime-based mortars in order to check its efficiency as a rheological modifier. Several fresh state properties of the mortars were studied: consistency, density, air content, water retention capacity, setting time and evolution when applied on support. The effect of the starch...
Article
Two different anionic surfactants, sodium oleate and calcium stearate, commercialized as water repellents for cement-based mortars, were added to lime-based mortars in order to check whether they were improved by these admixtures. Different properties of lime-based mortars were evaluated: fresh state behaviour through water retention, air content a...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
a) Objectives: Lime-based mortars show some very interesting advantages to be used for historical monuments restoration. However, they are affected by two important disadvantages: a relatively low mechanical strength and a long setting time. Therefore, this work purposes the use of certain additives which could be able to modify the material proper...
Conference Paper
: A water-repellent agent (calcium stearate) and a thickener (starch ether) were used as additives in lime-based mortars, in order to improve some of their properties. Only one additive was incorporated in each blend, and two different dosages (0,06% and 0,5% of dried mortar weight) were studied, in order to analyse the influence of each product an...
Conference Paper
: A water-repellent agent (calcium stearate) and a thickener (starch ether) were used as additives in lime-based mortars, in order to improve some of their properties. Only one additive was incorporated in each blend, and two different dosages (0,06% and 0,5% of dried mortar weight) were studied, in order to analyse the influence of each product an...
Conference Paper
: A water-repellent agent (calcium stearate) and a thickener (starch ether) were used as additives in lime-based mortars, in order to improve some of their properties. Only one additive was incorporated in each blend, and two different dosages (0,06% and 0,5% of dried mortar weight) were studied, in order to analyse the influence of each product an...
Article
Studies focusing on materials used in Cultural Heritage conservation projects are becoming increasingly important. In this paper, the pore structure and mechanical properties of lime–cement mortars are evaluated in order to analyze their potential use, because this kind of mortar could reduce the disadvantages presented by both lime-based mortars a...
Article
Microstructure of blended pastes of lime and cement were studied in this paper. An increment of complexity of the microstructure was found when pastes increase their percentage in cement. Microstructural characteristics as porosity, morphology of the pores, pore size distribution and surface fractal dimension were evaluated in the different pastes...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
RESUMEN En este trabajo se aborda la caracterización completa, desde el punto de vista mineralógico y fisicoquímico, de morteros empleados en la construcción de diversos monumentos pertenecientes al estilo Románico en Navarra. Cuando ha sido posible, se ha evaluado su comportamiento mecánico y su durabilidad, teniendo como objetivo primordial de la...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
RESUMEN Dada la similitud de propiedades, a la hora de la restauración de obras del Patrimonio Edificado, es sensata la utilización del mortero de cal más afín al de la propia construcción. La pérdida de conocimientos, debida al desuso, del mortero de cal ha impulsado este trabajo, en el que se analizan las modificaciones de composición durante el...
Article
Carbonation, as a reaction of the curing process of both, cement and lime binders, modifies the microstructure. Several microstructure properties, namely porosity, pore size distribution, surface fractal dimension, and specific surface area have been investigated in this study to describe the effect of carbonation on microstructure. Both carbonated...
Article
Full-text available
The present study aims to gain a fuller understandingof the curing process in lime pastes (100, 90, 80, 70,60, 50 and 40% lime) blended with cement by analyzingcarbonation in these materials. A hydrated, airslaked lime powder and CEM II A/L 32.5 Portlandcement were used for the blends. These materialswere singled out for research primarily because...
Article
180 different mortars made with a dolomitic lime and different aggregates were prepared in order to be used in restoration works. This paper focuses on the effect of technological variables on pore structure and mechanical properties of magnesian lime-based mortars. Compressive and flexural strengths of the specimens were discussed according to cur...
Article
Specimens of aerial and hydraulic lime-based mortars to be used in restoration works were prepared, hardened and subjected to different environments in order to study their mechanical behavior and durability. Outside exposure, weathering cycles in a climatic chamber, SO2-rich environment, freezing–thawing cycles and indoor exposure were selected to...