Antifungal performance of BFS mortar with various natural antifungal substances and their physical properties

This study discusses the basic physical properties, as well as the durability and antifungal performance of blast furnace slag (BFS) mortar with various natural antifungal substances. As a series of basic experiments, the antifungal performances of various natural antifungal substances extracted from Marjoram, Phytoncide, Thyme, Ginkgo leaves, and Chitosan were investigated on five types of mold: Chaetomium globosum, Aspergillus niger, Aureobasidium pullulans, Gliocladium vixens, and Penicillium pinophilum. Marjoram and phytoncide extracts, which showed excellent antifungal performance in the basic experiment, were selected and applied to the antifungal mortars. The physical properties in addition to the durability and antifungal performance of the antifungal mortars were investigated. The results clearly showed that the antifungal mortars with the marjoram extract had excellent antifungal performance compared with other antifungal mortars with natural antifungal substances. Their antifungal performance was at an equivalent level to that of the mortars with organic chemical antifungal agents. It was also shown that the optimum addition rate of marjoram extract in the mortar was 3% by mass of binder, considering antifungal performance and durability. The adverse effect of marjoram and phytoncide extract on the consistency and strength of antifungal mortars was insignificant. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.