Performance of cementitious mortars containing hydrogel–nanoclay hybrid nanocomposite

Cement-based composites comprise a binder matrix with or without aggregates. Hydration of cement is an exothermic reaction that releases considerable quantities of heat, causes drying shrinkage. Hydrogels can help mitigate such cracking as their hydrophilic characteristics and 3D crosslinked structure enables them to absorb and directly release water into the cement matrix over time. This study aims to synthesize and analyze the effect of adding hybrid nanocomposite hydrogels with different concentrations (0, 10, and 20