Self-cleaning engineered cementitious composites

Engineered cementitious composite (ECC) is a strain hardening cementitious composite with extreme tensile ductility of several percent. Few emerging applications of ECC, including lightweight building façade and pavement, make self-cleaning a desirable functionality to be added into the material. This study aims to impart photocatalytic properties into ECC for engaging self-cleaning. Influence of TiO₂ content on mechanical properties, cleaning efficiency, surface wettability, and dirt pick-up resistance of white ECC was studied. It shows that the inclusion of TiO₂ in ECC engages photocatalysis, facilitates the decomposition of RhB, and enhances photo-induced hydrophilicity significantly. As a result, TiO₂-ECC possesses self-cleaning with higher dirt pick-up resistance than normal ECC. However, TiO₂ photocatalysis may adversely affect the flexural strength and ductility of ECC due to weakened fiber/matrix interface bond after UV/sunlight irradiation.