Restorative Lime Mortars with Inclusion of Spent Cooking Oils

This study, with inspirations from ancient lime-based mortars formulations, was aimed to explore and discuss the potential suitability of synthesized oiled air lime mortars for applications in restoration of historical/old buildings. The mortars were synthesized with inclusion of two different types of characterized spent cooking oils (i.e., high oleic acid and high linoleic acid ones) and in two different quantities. The mortars were characterized in terms of properties that are important for restorative applications such as calcium carbonate formation rates, pore size distribution, water absorption through capillarity, and superficial durability life cycles. The characterizations were directed at providing discernment into the contribution of the waste additives to the hydrophobicity of restorative mortars, when compared to the conventional restorative mortars. The addition of spent oils in air lime mortars demonstrated promising effects in terms hydrophobicity such as sorptivity reduction from 30 to 60 times. Addition of high oleic acid oils in air lime mortars, apart from added hydrophobic values did not significantly worsen their mechanical properties. Hydric properties of all of the investigated oiled mortars demonstrated enhancements with respect to conventional lime mortars and exhibited apposite indexes as restorative materials.