Vol. 1(1) pp.

009-013, July 2015

Available online http://transconpublishers.org/icjeti/index.php
Copyright 2015 Transcontinental Publishers

Full Length Research Paper

Active Substance Derived from the Opuntia Cactus that

Improves the Mechanical Properties of Hydraulic
Cements
A. Coronado-Mrquez, J. B. Hernndez-Zaragoza , T. Lpez-Lara, J. Horta-Rangel,
E. Rojas-Gonzlez and M. Selvera-Acevedo
Maestro en Ciencias. Profesor Interino, Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Instituto Tecnolgico de Nuevo Laredo
Profesor Tiempo Completo, Facultad de Ingeniera, Cuerpo Acadmico de Materiales, Universidad Autnoma de
Quertaro
Ingeniero Elctrico. Departamento de Ciencias Bsicas. Instituto Tecnolgico de Nuevo Laredo
Accepted 11 June, 2015

The influence of the opuntia cactus in the construction has been demonstrated in our previous works,
but we want to know where are the elements that exert true authority in the composite cement-nopal.
This investigation began to identify the chemical components of the nopal by means of bibliographical
references and later to select those of greater abundance of them, taking into account also who were
accessible to buy (arabinose and xylose), these were used as additives in the elaboration of mortars
and were put under the tests of compression, consistency and setting. With the obtained results, it was
verified that the arabinose and the xylose can be used like additives in the cement and with physical
properties and mechanical similar to which offers the nopal.
Key words: Nopal, arabinose, xylose.
Email: alcoma83@hotmail.com

INTRODUCTION
In 1997 we began to realize the first investigations on the
mixture of the nopal and different cement ants like: lime,
plaster and Portland cement. In this first stapes
separated mucilage of the nopal and later freeze-dry it to
be combined it with the different cement ants products;
the obtained results demonstrate that the inclusion of
nopal as additive in the different tried mixtures
remarkably improves the compressive strength and more
workability (Luna, 1999).

After the first investigation there was a boom in the

application of the nopal in the industry of the construction,
that the nopal producers began to realize mixtures to find
more applications in the construction, but the different
methods and technical knowledge has produced about
deviations in the research that only get to confuse the
potential users of the product as they are the natural
additive like restaurateurs, constructors and users
generally.

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Interlink Continental J. Eng. Tech. Innov.

Table Setting time

Mixtures
Arabinose
mix
Portland Cement
Control
mix

Arabinose

Portland Cement

Water
Water

Dust of
Portland Cement
nopal mix

Dust of nopal

Water

Xylose
mix

Xylose

Water

Portland Cement

Following our process of investigation, in 2002 one

worked in looking for a simple method to obtain the nopal
in dust and to find results similar or better than the
reported ones previously; for this case, the dust of used
nopal was the product of the dehydration in rotator
furnaces of the complete nopal, that is to say, the thorns
were only eliminated and it was cleaned superficially; the
results of the mixtures emphasize once again that the
use of the nopal mixed with hydraulic cement and sands
improves the resistance to compression without to be
necessary the separation of mucilage. (Noriega, 2005)
Of 2007 to the date, in response to a evolution of our
investigations we occurred to the task of separating the
elements that integrate the nopal and of identifying the
appropriate amounts them specific applications and to
know its true influence in the physical and mechanical
behavior in the mixtures.

Equipment
The equipment used for the development of the tests is:
cubical molds, universal machine and apparatus of Vicat.
The molds used for the test tubes are of stainless steel of
section squared with dimensions of 5 cm by side.
The universal machine that was used for the tests to
compression, counts on a regime of application of load
uniforms and it is provided of the necessary devices for
the regulation of the load, also it presents a periodic
calibration, which guarantees its exactitude.
According with the stipulated by the norm NMX-C-057
The determination of the normal consistency the
apparatus of Vicat fulfills the following requirements: it
takes a movable bar with diameter of 10 mm and a
minimum length of 50 mm. In the other end of the bar, it
takes to a detachable needle of 1 mm and 50 mm in
length.

MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND METHODS

METHODS
MATERIALS
The used materials are: hydraulic cement, water, dust of
nopal, arabinose and xylose. The cement used for the
development of the physical and mechanical tests is
Portland Cement (30 CPC R) trade name of our country
(Mexico), is generally in the market in coats of 50 kg.
The water used for the manufacture of mortar is water
used for the human consumption and the norm in charge
to regulate the characteristics that must fulfill the water to
use for the mortar elaboration it is the NMX-C-122
Industry of the Construction - Water for concrete.
The used natural additive is product of the dehydration
of the nopal in rotatory furnace.
The dust additives (arabinose and xylose) were
acquired in industrial stores dedicated to provide
materials for chemical industries. Each of them was
selected because in investigations, previous (Goycolea,
Crdenas, Medina, etc.) they have demonstrated that
there are components of the mucilage of nopal.

In order to realize the assays to compression the

Mexican Official Norm NMX-C-061-ONNCCE was used
Determination of the compressive strength of hydraulic
cement ants.
The tests that determine the consistency of graze, were
developed under the norm NMX-C-057-ONNCCE
Determination of the normal consistency.
In order to determine the time of initial and final setting
the
norm
was
used,
NMX-C-059-ONNCCE
Determination of the time of setting of hydraulic cement
ants (method of Vicat). Neville (1999) uses the forged
term to describe the rigidity of grazes of the cement. In
general terms the setting talks about a change of physical
state: of the state of fluidity to the rigid state.
The mixtures took control of a relation water cement of
0,40 and 5% of additive (dust of nopal, xylose and
arabinose) by each kilogram of cement were added.
The next Table present the nomenclature of each one
of the made mixtures.

Coronado-Mrquez et al.

011

Table 2 Setting time

Aditives

Sittin time (min)

Cement
Arabinose
Nopal

Initial
330
390
435

Final
390
450
495

Xylose

390

495

Penetration of the bar (mm)

Consistency of the mix

9.00
8.00
7.00
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
0.00

8.00

4.00

4.00

3.00

Mix

Graphic 1 Consistency of de mix

RESULTS
The results obtained in the tests to determine the
consistency of the mix, indicate that the mixtures present
a normal consistency, in comparison with the mixture
bases. In Graph 1 is the average of the penetrations of
the bar in each one of the tried mixtures; it is deduced
that the dust of nopal added to the mixture, presents the
best penetration of the bar, followed of the xylose and
arabinose, concluding, that all the mixtures with additives
obtained a consistency better than it grazes of cement.
The test of initial and final setting by means of the
apparatus of Vicat was realised to mixtures with
arabinose, dust of nopal, xylose and the control mix. The
interest to know the settings helped to conclude if the use
of 5% of the additive can accelerate or slow down the
times of setting. In the Table 2 we presents the times of

initial and final setting of any mixtures. When analyzing

the data, conclude, that all the selected additives acted
like retardants, because they presented a greater time of
setting with respect to the mixture control. The additives
arabinose and xylose, had the same time of initial setting.
In Graph 2 and 3 the strain to compression are
compared that had any one of the made test tubes in
order to know the properties mechanical that the use of
additives derived from the nopal reflects. The behavior of
any one of the mix in which an additive was used,
compared with the control mix, presented increases in
their resistance to compression, having a performance
very similar to the use of the nopal. All the test tubes in
which an additive in its elaboration was placed, reached
efforts of more of 70% in the three first days of age in
comparison to the mixture in which cement was only
used. The resistance to compression in the mixtures

Interlink Continental J. Eng. Tech. Innov.

Strain to compression (kg/cm2)

012

700
600
500
400
3 days
300
7 days
200

14 days

100

28 days

0
Control mix

Arabinose mix Dust of nopal

mix

Xylose mix

Mix

Strain to compression (kg/cm2)

Graphic 2 Comparation of the strain to compression in the mixes

700
600
500
400

Mezcla control

300
Mezcla
arabinoa
Mezcla polvo
de nopal
Mezcla xilosa

200
100
0
3

14

28

Days

Graphic 3 Comparation of the strain to compression by d

when the xylose was used, gave like result increases

approximated of 90%, 10%, 3% and 40% to the ages of
3, 7, 14 and 28 days, respectively, this are in comparison
with the control mix.
CONCLUSIONS
The

additives derived from the nopal improve the

Work ability at the time when is mixed. The use of the

arabinose, dust of nopal and xylose to added in 5%, acts
like retardants.
The isolated use of the arabinose and the xylose have
a behavior very similar to the use of the nopal dust, by
means of this investigation has been verified that these
additives are one more an alternative to increase the
compressive strength, to improve the workability of the
mixtures, as well as they help to slow down the setting.

Coronado-Mrquez et al.
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