THE OPTIMIZATION OF HYDRATED LIME PUTTIES AND LIME MORTARS USING NOPAL PECTIN

Considered the base material of millenary building systems in Mexico, hydrated lime has been traditionally produced since pre-Hispanic times. This implies intangible heritage that is currently at risk of being lost due to the high costs involved in its manufacture, especially during its hydration stage, which involves a resting time of several months before it develops the mechanical and rheological properties that make it useful in construction and works of restoration. Multidisciplinary research was carried out to reduce the cost of manufacture and to revitalize an ancient technique. It involved several experimental phases of physicochemical, architectural and constructive analysis that resulted in the discovery of a key substance contained in the nopal mucilage. This substance not only enabled a good chemical interaction with lime, but also managed to function as a catalyst in the hydration and aging process of lime putties from its crystallographic modification. Moreover, it had a significant impact on the optimization of the mechanical and rheological properties of the mortars prepared with them, as well as on their behavior during the carbonation process and their ability to absorb moisture. The results that allowed to conclude this optimization were obtained from the characterization and comparison of the behavior of the new lime putties with pectin and the mortars prepared with them through analysis in SEM, XRD, as well as the adaptation of some established methods of analysis and many others proposed in the research for this binder and its by-products. The theories produced from this research open the door to new lines of exploration that involve further research about the interference that mortar dosage has and the interaction with pectin compared to other fruits.